Review of Sadgati (1981) by Ray D — 12 Jun 2009
Poor Ned Beatty. Man's a terrific actor, been in all kinds of great films and television programs, from SUPERMAN and NETWORK to HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET, but he will probably always be remembered for his part in DELIVERANCE, a creepy little psychological survival thriller about four urban friends taking a canoe trip down a river to experience the wilderness before it's flooded to make way for a new dam.
The music and cinematography (handled by John Boorman, who's always used nature effectively) are evocative at creating an almost storybook, nightmarish atmosphere, and the four leads, Beatty, Ronny Cox, a calmly alpha-male Burt Reynolds and a sweaty, desperate Jon Voight, do excellent work once they start being menaced by the locals.
The story's sensationalism is a bit of a head-scratcher, but it's also the point of the narrative theme, so it has to be taken on its own terms, and the ending of the film is a bit....restrained (which I think is the point), but it's still a worthwhile experience if you're looking for a film with regular people wrestling with desperate situations.
This review of Sadgati (1981) was written by Ray D on 12 Jun 2009.
Sadgati has generally received positive reviews.
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