# Damned River (1989)

### reviewed by
Shane Burridge

    Damned River (1989) 91m

1972's DELIVERANCE was pretty much the last word on civilization-vs-wilderness pictures, but this didn't discourage many imitations. In this one, four friends travel to Africa for a week-long rafting vacation down the Zambesi. Their brusque guide Raymond (Stephen Shellen) treats them at first with indifference, then contempt. As the water gets wilder, so does Raymond - he snaps at his passengers and then snaps in his mind. Yes, the storyline is standard exploitation (or raftploitation?) fare but tries for better. Shellen has a few good lines and heÕs amusing when yelling abuse at the rafting party without regard about how they might be 'feeling' about the whole experience (you get the impression that this was written by river guides as a revenge fantasy for every this-wasn't-in-the-brochure whining customer they've had to take on board). Cinematography (all filmed on location in Zimbabwe) is good, and director Michael Schroeder makes an effort to keep things visually interesting:

Weight of film falls on Shellen's shoulders, and he does a reasonable job. It makes sense that we're supposed to link Shellen with the wilderness as a contrast to the controlled behavior of his passengers, but he seems trapped in a middle zone, neither truly natural/savage enough to belong completely to the river nor domestic/ethical enough to belong with the others of his party. Note that Shellen follows every unexpected or violent act with an explanation, excuse, or justification. Clearly the moral code he operates on is completely his own - that's why I don't think this film works at any potential allegorical level. It's easy enough to explain Shellen's behavior by passing him off as a confused war veteran, but when his passengers refuse to fight fire with fire ("we're better than him") the film only makes a statement about one individual rather than a general human condition. I know this kind of conjecture seems a little overwrought for this type of movie, but that's what makes DAMNED RIVER interesting. I like the idea underpinning the film - that a group of people are forced to depend entirely on someone erratic and dangerous - and it would have paid to highlight this angle in deference to letting Shellen go over the top so soon. With a tighter script DAMNED RIVER could have been considerably better; with any less production value it could have been a lot worse. It's an exploitation film that doesn't come across as an exploitation film, but it doesn't really make it to 'legit' status either. Film is like its central character, trapped in a middle zone. As river movies go, it would rate a Class 3. That's somewhere between THE RIVER WILD and RACE FOR YOUR LIFE, CHARLIE BROWN. And just for the record, crocodile does *not* taste like chicken. Who keeps spreading this stuff around?

    sburridge@hotmail.com

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