The River Wild

Directed by Curtis Hanson, it's a cheesy, dawdling,plot-hole-riddled thriller.

Meryl Streep as action hero may sound an unlikely transition for the premier prestige actress of the 80s, but there's no diminution of class or skill in her muscular new act.

Among the best elements of The River Wild are the performances by Bacon, as the charming but sinister bad guy, and Streep, who puts a lot of humor and intelligence into her character.

The thriller framework is still familiar, but the results exhibit a welcome freshness.

...the idea of casting Streep in an action-hero role is intriguing...