Looking back, it’s easy to see why this movie felt particularly relevant when it was first released. Back in 1972, stories about nature and environmental concerns held a certain appeal. While widespread environmentalism hadn't fully taken hold yet, it coincided with the height of the hippie movement, which championed a closer relationship between people and the natural world. The film centers on four men from the city who are looking for excitement, feeling, and beauty while navigating a wild river filled with rapids—a waterway that was destined to disappear due to a dam project. However, their journey takes a dark turn following an encounter with two other individuals. It falls into the category of nature thrillers where characters confront dangers from both the environment and hostile people, and I honestly can’t grasp how it earned three Oscar nominations (for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Editing). It's just not very memorable; outside of America, virtually no one recalls it. The director, John Boorman, creates a film brimming with tension and brutality that keeps you on edge. That aspect is certainly well done! However, he didn’t quite manage to overcome the limitations imposed by the film’s modest budget, leaving it with an overall cheap and unpolished feel—whether in the props, sets, costumes, or the photography, which has a washed-out look, lacking contrast and shadows. Even the banjo music felt jarring and tiresome to me. If there's something positive about this movie that makes it worth watching, it’s the strong performances from the main actors. Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox are all very good in their roles and clearly committed to the project. I was particularly impressed by Voight, who brings a lot of charisma and energy to his part. While I could acknowledge the solid work done by Bill McKinney and Herbert Coward, the film suffers from a lack of strong supporting actors to complement the four leads. Finally, regarding the movie's title: I must admit I was surprised by the original English title. “Deliverance” might have been fitting for the book it’s based on, but since the film never explains what that word means and we don’t really understand the title anyway, a more straightforward name might have been preferable.

Source on TMDB