This is definitely not the river of dreams.
Being a fan of Oren Peli’s Paranormal Activity, I was very curious to see what he would bring to television as co-creator of The River. It’s amazing how his movies can scare you and make you afraid of the dark and the little noises you hear at night without much fanfare and special effects. It makes you realize that what you can’t see is definitely scarier than what is right in front of you.
It’s been six months since Dr. Emmet Cole’s (Bruce Greenwood) ship, the Magus, has gone missing in the Amazon River, and on the day of his funeral his wife Tess (Leslie Hope) informs their son Lincoln (Joe Anderson) that his emergency location beacon has been turned on in hopes of convincing him to join her in the search to find him. Reluctant at first, Lincoln concedes once he learns that the producer, Clark Quietly (Paul Backthorne), behind Cole’s television program, The Undiscovered Country, will only pay for the expedition if both he and Tess agree to go. The producer is hoping to capitalize on the strained relationship between Lincoln and his father.
By the following day they are on the Amazon along with crew members Emilio Valenzuela (Daniel Zacapa), his daughter Jahel (Paulina Gaitan), Captain Kurt Bryndilson (Thomas Kretschmann), and cameraman AJ Poulain (Shaun Parkes). Joining them along the way is Lena Landry (Eloise Mumford) whose father is also missing. When they finally locate the beacon it becomes apparent that it’s coming from within the river. It’s at this point that a few of them jump into the water to locate the beacon. Okay, I was freaked out by this. I could have sworn that the Amazon River is home to some pretty lethal reptiles and fish. I guess they were in a part of the river that was clear of those creatures. Of course it couldn’t be as easy as jumping in the water and finding Emmet. They do find the beacon transmitter but it’s attached to a safety cage that has evidence of someone breaking out of it not in. Tess is relentless. While some would view this as a set-back she wants to continue on.
While picking up supplies Lena joins them via helicopter and offers valuable insight as to where the Magus might be since she was in communication with Emmet prior to his disappearance, much to the chagrin of Tess it seems. Jahel tries to dissuade them from venturing into that part of the Amazon but no one is listening. It’s a part of the Amazon that’s not even on any map. That would be an indication to me that it’s somewhere I shouldn’t be or go. When they arrive the Magus is there but something else is there as well. Something we cannot see but hear. A la Paranormal Activity. They think it’s coming from the panic room aboard the board, when they arrive there they are faced with the task of having to saw the door off as it has been welded shut from the outside. Once inside they discover an oversized looking coconut shell that Lincoln touches which enables the spirit inside of it to be released. Definitely not a good thing.
They soon learn that their rafts have been destroyed. Thankfully Emilio and Jahel are able to get the boat running and they are on their way. Once again they jump into the water and this time in the dark. Are they crazy? Yes! As they are leaving the spirit/force that escaped attempts to stop them. Lincoln is able to trap the spirit in the shell once again and they toss it into the water. They are on their way once again. But, where to?
So, I was hooked by this pilot episode. I think part of the attraction is that I already know that there are going to be eight episodes that will provide some sort of conclusion to what’s going on. I honestly think that broadcast television should think of doing mini-series as opposed to bleeding a rock dry with some plot lines for their shows. And while I feel that flashbacks have become too trite in many shows, I felt that here they fit in perfectly well. I also enjoyed the trademark Oren Peli day and time on the screen as he does in Paranormal Activity. As well as the footage that looks like it’s taken on a home video camera. It somehow adds to the authenticity of what’s happening.
This review originally appeared on TV Geek Army.