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John Boorman's "Deliverance" concerns four suburban Atlanta dwellers who take a ride down the swift waters of the Cahulawassee… The river is about to disappear for a dam construction and the flooding of the last untamed stretches of land…

The four friends emphasize different characters: a virile sports enthusiast who has never been insured in his life since there is no specific risk in it (Burt Reynolds); a passionate family man and a guitar player (Ronny Cox); an overweight bachelor insurance salesman (Ned Beatty); and a quiet, thoughtful married man with a son who loves to smoke his pipe (Jon Voight).

What follows is the men's nightmarish explorations against the hostile violence of nature…It is also an ideal code of moral principle about civilized men falling prey to the dark laws of the wilderness…

Superbly shot, this thrilling adult adventure certainly contains some genuinely gripping scenes

Unlike many other films, which are disturbing either by dint of their naked unpleasantness (Man Bites Dog) or their sheer violence (most Peckinpah films), Deliverance shocks by its plausibility. Certainly, the buggery scene is pretty straightforward in its unpleasantness, but the film's effect derives far more from its slow build-up and the tangible sense of isolation surrounding the four leads, both before and after everything starts to go wrong. The moment when the canoes pass under the child on the bridge, who does not even acknowledge the men he had earlier played music with, let alone show any sign of human affection towards them, is among the most sinister in modern film. The tension increases steadily throughout the canoe trip, and perseveres even after the final credits - the ending makes the significance of the characters' ordeals horrifically real. The movie's plausibility is greatly aided by the playing of the leads, particularly Ned Beatty and Jon Voight as the victim and reluctant hero respectively. Burt Reynolds, too, has never been better. The film's cultural influence is demonstrable by the number of people who will understand a reference to 'banjo territory' - perhaps only Get Carter has done such an effective hatchet-job on a region's tourist industry. I can think of only a handful of movies which put me into such a serious depression after they had finished - the oppressive atmosphere of Se7en is the best comparison I can think of. Although so much of it is excellent of itself, Deliverance is a classic above all because there are no adequate points of comparison with it - it is unique.

True masterpiece genuinely done; very dark adventurous story about a group of men that are stuck in a situation after some creepy guys do some awful things and things spiral more from there! The sound editing & cinematography alone make this a wonderful experience along with a great cast!

I thoroughly enjoyed this menacing adventure; I'm sure it was difficult to make too. Movies aren't made like this anymore, so it's definitely nice to see this gem.

"Deliverance" is based on a novel by American author James Dickey, of the same title. Four men who are friends plan a weekend in the outdoors from their families and jobs in the city. The setting is in Georgia, and they are going to canoe one of the roughest rivers to get to and to ride.

Only this adventure turns into a psychological nightmare. It's a griping ride down a fast and narrow river gorge. But the rapids and falls aren't the worst dangers. This is a story and film that one won't forget years after watching it. It's not for everyone. Even some who enjoy intrigue and mystery may find "Deliverance" unsettling.

It's definitely not for children, teens included. People who can readily distinguish reality from fiction and can easily move on beyond the latter, would be those most likely to appreciate this movie.

Four excellent actors here, showing great skill, talent and emotion. This is back before Burt Reynolds did all his comedy roles. Four City guys take a trip to the mountains. Their Canoe adventure steadily gets worse and worse as they play cat and mouse with some Hillbillies. Theres no need to analyse it, it's just a very good movie.

40+ years after it was made, it still seems fresh. Horrible, thought-provoking, beautiful, exciting, well acted, and consistent. Truly a classic.

I saw this movie with my dad 29 years ago, because he had seen it some years previously, and wanted to see it again. I was 17 at the time, and thought the movie was "cool". Seeing it now, at the age of 46, and with half a (or a whole) lifetime behind me, the movie is still "cool". But it is so much more also. It's a comment on the pros and cons of "the system", the evolved society of man. It's presented through the ordeals of 4 men in the vanishing remains of wilderness in America.

No overacting, no simplifications, just honest storytelling. Loved it - again.

This was, undoubtedly, the most disturbing movie that I have ever seen. The first part of the movie, though strange, has a light and amusing quality to it. The journey begins on such a peaceful note, detailing and emphasizing the beauty of the hills of Appalachia. But that is misleading beyond belief. The obvious social problems (inbreeding) and the deformities of the countryside's inhabitants are only the first disturbing aspects of the movie. I can still hear Bobby moaning in pain, and I shudder at the thought. Lewis's leg made me wince. Yet, while the movie was, on the whole, very disturbing and distressing, it posed some interesting questions. When is it moral, or right to take another individual's life? What can morality drive us to do, or not do, in some cases? And are dignity and moral integrity more important than life itself? Whatever conclusions one may draw from the film, it is an achievement in its own right (despite certain aspects that were chillingly real and gruesome).

In what is arguably the best outdoor adventure film of all time, four city guys confront nature's wrath, in a story of survival. The setting is backwoods Georgia, with its forests, mountains, and wild rivers.

The director, John Boorman, chose to use local people, not actors, to portray secondary characters. These locals imbue the film with a depth of characterization unequaled in film history. No central casting "actors" could ever come close to these people's remarkable faces, voices, or actions. I don't recall a film wherein the secondary characters are so realistic and colorful. As much as anything else, it is this gritty realism that makes this film so amazing.

Another strength is the film's theme. Nature, in the wild, can be violent. How appropriate that the setting should be the American South. Very few places in the U.S. are, or have been, as violent as redneck country. In a story about Darwinian survival of the fittest, the film conveys the idea that humans are part of nature, not separate from it.

"Deliverance" is very much a product of its time when, unlike today, Americans expressed concern over a vanishing wilderness. The film's magnificent scenery, the sounds of birds, frogs, crickets, and the roar of the river rapids, combined with the absence of civilization, all convey an environmental message. And that is another strength of the film.

At an entertainment level, the tension gradually escalates, as the plot proceeds. Not even half way into the film the tension becomes extreme, and then never lets up, not until the final credits roll. Very few films can sustain that level of intensity over such a long span of plot.

Finally, the film's technical quality is topnotch. Direction and editing are flawless. Cinematography is excellent. Dialogue is interesting. And the acting is terrific. Burt Reynolds has never been better. Ned Beatty is perfectly cast and does a fine job. And Jon Voight should have been nominated for an Oscar. If there is a weak link in the film, it is the music, which strikes me as timid.

Overall, "Deliverance" almost certainly will appeal to viewers who like outdoor adventure. Even for those who don't, the gritty characterizations, the acting, and the plot tension are reasons enough to watch this film, one of the finest in cinema history.

Author James Dickey adapted his novel about four men on a rapids excursion in North Georgia that turns tragic. Director John Boorman (who reportedly contributed to the script) creates an eerily foreboding atmosphere that unsettles his audience almost immediately--but he plays his best cards too soon, allowing Dickey's narrative to come undone and all the early tension to dissipate. Boorman isn't interested in delivering a commercial action-thriller (which is both pro and con); this is an existentialist portrait of Man, an undoing of the myths of masculinity, which becomes an arduous journey (one capped with a bungled visual finish). The film does boast solid performances, even by a swaggering Burt Reynolds (who does manage to create a character, albeit not a complicated one). Boorman was Oscar-nominated for his direction, as was the editing and the film as Best Picture. ** from ****

To try and explain the greatness of Deliverance, you must first understand the impact this film had when it came. Most of us have probably seen a horror film about a gang in the woods that gets harassed and stalked by people. Deliverance is the father of these films and an original that stands really well to this day as one of the best films ever made in the genre. A gang of four guys ventures out in nature to paddle canoes along Cahulawassee River before it gets flooded into a lake. However their boat trip does not turn out the way they had hoped for when they suddenly gets stalked and harassed by the locals. Burt Reynolds plays the outdoor fanatic Lewis who brings his friends on the journey, Jon Voght, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox. The film is directed by John Boorman from the novel by the same name from 1970.

What is it then that makes Deliverance so incredibly good. At the beginning of the film the gang is traveling by car, the mood is good and very typical for guys. After having a short break to fill up the cars with petrol and listening to the famous banjo duel "Dueling Banjos" between Ronny Cox's character and a local boy, they head for the river. What happens next out on the river is like a nightmare and also very psychologically demanding. Deliverance always feels so real and genuine that you truly become frightened. How would you yourself react in a similar situation so far away from civilization? After the gang starts to get harassed in the woods, the panic and fear increases. They all react differently, and rightly so, no human being is the other alike. That is just what makes it so good, the characters' different personalities. The film then sort of becomes a psychological mind game, perhaps mostly taking place in their heads. Are they being followed, how will they get out of the situation they are in and what will they say when they return?

Besides the psychological aspects of Deliverance, it is also incredibly beautiful to watch. It's completely filmed on location out in the woods with actors willing to perform the different stunts themselves. As I wrote when I reviewed The Revenant, this is also a man vs wild film. In the beginning we experience nature as incredibly beautiful and stunning but later it quickly turns to become your worst nightmare. Incredibly well done by the director. The absolute greatness in Deliverance lies according to me in the end and the summarization of the film. What really happened and what didn't happen. How do you react to these kinds of situations out in the middle of nowhere? Can we return with our senses intact and how do you change as a person after experiencing something like it? Without spoiling the story too much, I've here tried to review and explain what Deliverance is to me. I recommend everyone to watch it and it is very high up on my list of the best films ever made.

David Lindahl - www.filmografen.se

I first saw this on a vhs in the 90s, then on a vcd in 2006 n finally on a blu-ray. It's an extremely disturbing film especially the scene with Ned Beatty. One of the best backwoods/survival film of all time. The film's awesome scenery, the sounds of birds, reptiles n insects n the gushing wild rivers combined with the absence of civilization are characters themselves. We get to see Jon Voight doing some daredevil rock climbing and Burt Reynolds in his sleeveless t shirt flaunting biceps. John Boorman has created one of the best movies based on James Dickey's novel. Indeed an influential movie. The banjo scene n the music is terrific.

I think one of the words that most describes the events in this film to me is brutal. When I saw this as a young lad, I felt the isolation of the four characters, cut-off from the world they are used to and thrown into a brutal world where nature is harsh (the rocks and canyons along the river always scare me) and the local folk are a complete world away. The film still scares the sh*t out of me! I mean, what would YOU do if you were confronted by two hill-billies in a situation like that?

It's so easy to remain distant and see the film as "entertainment", but take a reality-check and immerse yourself in the story. It's a shame some just don't appreciate the film - guess we're used to adrenaline-pumping action from start to finish nowadays, but that's too easy - it doesn't require emotional involvement from the viewer unlike a film such as Deliverance...

As Peckinpah did with STRAW DOGS, and Kubrick with A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, director John Boorman delivers an effective film about Man's violent side in DELIVERANCE, arguably a definitive horror film of the 1970s. Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox portray four Atlanta businessmen who decide to take a canoe trip down the wild Cahulawassee River in northern Georgia before it is dammed up into what Reynolds calls "one big, dead lake."

But the local mountain folk take a painfully obvious dim view of these "city boys" carousing through their woods. And the following day, continuing on down the river, Beatty and Voight are accosted and sexually assaulted (the film's infamous "SQUEAL!" sequence) by two vicious mountain men (Bill McKinney, Herbert "Cowboy" Coward). Thus, what started out as nothing more than a lark through the Appalachians has now turned into a nightmare in which our four protagonists come to see the thin line that exists between what we think of as civilization and what we think of as barbarism.

James Dickey adapted the screenplay from his own best-selling book, and the result is an often gripping and disturbing shocker. Often known for its "SQUEAL!" and "Dueling Banjos" sequences, DELIVERANCE is also quite a pulse-pounding ordeal, with the four leading men superb in their roles, and McKinney and Coward making for two of the most frightening villains of all times. A must-see film for those willing to take a chance.

Good film about a canoe voyage down a dangerous river which starts as a holiday but soon becomes a weekend of sheer terror . Intent on seeing the Cahulawassee River before it's turned into one huge lake, outdoor fanatic Lewis Medlock (Burt Reynolds) takes his friends (John Voight , Ned Beatty , Ronny Cox) on a river-rafting trip they'll never forget into the risked American back-country filled with rare and violent hillbillies .

This interesting picture contains intrigue , action , violence , marvelous landscapes and a strong ecological denounce. This trilling film was based on an exciting novel by James Dickey . At the time this motion picture was rated ¨R¨ for its excessive violence , sex and profanity ; nowadays this dangerous standard is underrated . To minimize costs, the production wasn't insured - and the actors did their own stunts , for instance, Jon Voight actually climbed the cliff and to save costs and add to the realism, local residents were cast in the roles of the hill people. Very good cast as John Boorman discovered both Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty working in theater , neither had substantial film experience previously. The notorious rape scene was filmed in one take, largely at the insistence of Ned Beatty who didn't want to film the scene repeatedly . Billy Redden plays the role of The Banjo Boy , he was hand-picked from his local elementary school, largely due to his "look" , his large head, skinny body, odd-shaped eyes and moronic grin , he was discovered by director Tim Burton in 2003 working as a dishwasher . Top-notch acting from John Voight and Burt Reynolds . Author James Dickey gave Burt Reynolds a few days of bow and arrow lessons and by the end, Reynolds was quite accurate and proficient with the weapon . Both Charlton Heston and Henry Fonda turned down the role of "Lewis" before it was offered to Burt Reynolds, who took it ; also Donald Sutherland turned down a role in this film because he objected to the violence in the script , he later admitted to regretting that decision . This movie is considered to be the "breakthrough" film of Burt Reynolds , it marked his transition from acting and starring , this film reflects the start of the period of Reynolds enormous star power and box-office pulling power, his machismo persona being mixed with a critical recognized serious dramatic performance . Gorgeous cinematography by an excellent cameraman , as John Boorman wanted Vilmos Zsigmond as his director of photography as he had famously filmed the 1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary ; Boorman reckoned that anyone who had filmed under the threat of Russian tanks and guns would be ideally suited to such an intensive and grueling shoot as Deliverance promised to be.

The motion picture was very good shot by John Boorman , though originally, Sam Peckinpah wanted to direct the movie ; when Boorman secured the rights, Peckinpah directed Straw Dogs instead . John is a real professional filmmaking from the 6os , though sparsely scattered and giving various classics . John started as an assistant direction and his friendship with Lee Marvin allowed him to work in Hollywood as ¨Point Blank¨ (1967) and ¨Hell in the Pacific¨ (1968) from where he returned to the UK and directed ¨Leo¨ (1970) , a rare Sci-Fi titled ¨Zardoz¨ (1974) or the ¨failure Exorcist II¨ (1977). His films are without exception among the most exciting visually in the modern cinema . He became famous for Excalibur (1981), the best of them , ¨Emerald forest¨ (1985) with a ecologist denounce included and his autobiographic story ¨Hope and Glory¨ (1987) and which brought him another Academy Award Nomination after ¨Deliverance¨ . Rating : Better than average . Wholesome watching .

I hadn't seen this movie in at least 20 years, but in the last few, it had started to itch away at my mind. I thought it terrific when I first saw it, but had I missed something even so? Was it more than just a disturbing adventure movie, in which city people run afoul of backwoodsmen?

So as soon as I saw the DVD, I bought it, even though it was obviously another Warner Bros. rush-it-out, never-mind-the-extras job.

The movie isn't as good as I remembered -- it's better. Those who are looking for a RIVER WILD thriller, or a SOUTHERN COMFORT (a DELIVERANCE imitation) suspense movie, are already looking in the wrong place. This movie is about what goes on inside people much more than it is about what goes on >around< them.

I've seen comments here suggesting that Ned Beatty doesn't show enough reaction after being brutally raped. Huh? He's stunned for ten minutes, then tries to attack Bill McKinney's >corpse<. He's still rattled the last time we see him in the movie, when he tells Jon Voight that they won't be seeing each other for a while. (Which clearly means forever.) Beatty's life has been changed; he'll never get over it.

So has Voight's, but in a different way. For the first time, I noticed that >three< people get into the tow truck when Reynolds hires those brothers to drive their cars to the canoeist's destination. Sure, that's logical -- there are three vehicles to drive initially, after all. But why does Boorman take pains to avoid showing us the face of the third person in the tow truck, but does show him fingering the gun in the rear window of the truck?

Could it be because this guy turns up later? Is he Bill McKinney's character? Or the Toothless guy? Or the guy Voight kills? Which of course raises the most important questions in the movie: WAS Ronny Cox shot? And if he was, was the guy Voight kills the one who shot him? (And was Voight's victim the Toothless guy?) On an initial viewing of the movie, all this seems pretty obvious: yes, Cox is shot; yes, Voight kills the right person, the Toothless guy.

But then what about the man we later learn has gone hunting but who hasn't returned? Why is Voight so shocked when he looks into the mouth of his victim? Boorman and Dickey give great weight to the scene in which Voight fails to kill a deer. (Even if he had, it would have been a foolish, wasteful act.) The interplay between Voight and Reynolds is also very interesting; Voight clearly admires Reynolds on some levels, while finding him disgusting on others.

Dickey is primarily a poet, secondarily a novelist; it's not hard to believe that he intended all four men to represent different aspects of the human condition. DELIVERANCE is one of the most intricately ambiguous movies of its type ever made; it cannot be pulled apart into easily-understood sections, and where our sympathies should lie is never obvious. Even the sheriff, played by Dickey himself, has darker shadings that are partly inexplicable. And there is that shot of the removal of the graves; it's not in there by chance or for local color.

On the surface, DELIVERANCE seems to be an exciting, disturbing adventure -- and it is that. But just like the secrets the lake conceals, there's a great deal more beneath the surface of DELIVERANCE.

It felt weird finally watching this film I'd heard so much about it over the years and seen so many references to it that it felt like I'd already seen it. The pacing and built up anticipation of this film is awesome, I'd almost put it right up there with the shining. You constantly get the feeling that something terrible is going to happen. At the time it was released it must have shocked audiences as its pretty extreme for back then but nothing as graphic as we have now. I kind of like that about it though because it sticks to the classic form of horrors while mixing it with a newer more extreme style. Its also it's realistic quality that makes it particularly scary, it feels as if it could happen to anyone. It was strange to see Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds so young they're both almost unrecognisable from how they look now. I really liked the way the camera stopped and focused on people's faces and expressions throughout the film making them even more creepy. The people in the town at the end were just as strange as those by the river. With the title being 'deliverance' it was clever the way they got out of the river by the church. The only thing I didn't like about this film was the ending. It kept you feeling like something more was going to happen but it just cut out with him waking up from a bad dream. All in all it's a thrilling watch but may be a bit slow for people use to watching more modern horrors/thrillers.

One of my all time favorite films that was made the year I was born! I did not get to see Deliverance until I was older - I'm not sure of my age, maybe 10 or 11? But I've seen it a few times since then and will watch it again in the future I'm sure.

The whole movie is eerily creepy - and not just the one famous pig scene. This group of men went through more hell than they ever bargained for. All they wanted was a nice all-guy camping trip together: to relax, maybe drink a few beers, canoe down the river and enjoy themselves. It turned out to be the most brutal and unforgettable experience of their lives.

The movie falls just shy of being a horror film - but not by much - it is that spooky, terrifying! If you have not seen this movie and want to view it - I recommend you proceed with caution! It is graphic with some violence and rape. But it is one of the most exciting thrillers you will ever see!

10/10

Aside from one scene (almost in the exact middle of the movie) there really isn't much to this movie. Four city guys go on a canoe trip in the wilderness, and they run into trouble - real trouble as it turns out. It has a few things going for it. There's some spectacular scenery (it was shot on location in the Appalachian Mountains of northern Georgia), it has a pretty decent cast, headed by Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds and backed up by Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox, and it has "the scene" - a brutal, painful to watch scene that I'll speak more of in a moment. Still, I found this movie lacking. Almost an hour goes by with nothing really happening except watching these four guys on a canoe trip. Then, after "the scene," while they're a more desperate bunch, it's largely the guys on the canoe trip again. Yes, there's a bit of suspense, and we don't really know what happened to Drew (Cox). The guys think they're being stalked (understandably) but that wasn't entirely clear. No doubt, though, they believed they were fighting for their lives. Still, just as the movie opens with little fanfare - little to draw the viewer in - it essentially fizzles out at the end.

And yet, there was "the scene" - that brutal, painful scene I spoke of. After beaching their canoe, Bobby and Ed (Beatty and Voight) encounter two obviously inbred mountain men. The whole "inbred mountain men" thing was introduced at the beginning of the movie; it's a bit too cliché for me. The difference between these and other depictions of "inbred mountain men" is that these guys weren't cannibals - they were rapists. After tying Ed to a tree, they humiliate Bobby in every way possible - verbally, physically and ultimately sexually by raping him. I have to agree that this scene is disturbingly powerful and ugly even in 2010. By the standards of 1972 it's actually quite shocking that a scene of a man raping another man would even have been included.

The problem here is that one scene - as powerful as it may be - and a bit of suspense afterward isn't enough to make up for an almost completely uneventful opening hour that does make you wonder if anything of interest is ever going to happen.