Overview
A harrowing journey through nature reveals the darkness within men when civilization fades away.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- brooding
- foreboding
- harrowing
- intense movie night
- wilderness thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Deliverance as a gripping, beautifully filmed, ominous wilderness thriller elevated by strong performances, while some fault its sensationalism and underdeveloped ideas.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Four Atlanta professionals' assumptions about competence and social order collapse during an isolated canoe trip through the Georgia wilderness.
The Cahulawassee River and surrounding valley are filmed as awe-inspiring landscapes whose isolation intensifies the group's vulnerability.
Lewis frames the trip as a test of manliness, while Ed, Bobby, and Drew are forced into increasingly extreme decisions.
The canoeists' route through isolated backcountry brings them into conflict with unwelcoming locals while escape routes are limited.
Films like Deliverance, and why
The Deer Hunter
shared wilderness survival thriller tension, moral extremity, and confrontational masculinity
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
shared rural menace, bleak adventure atmosphere, and escalating male group conflict
Straw Dogs
shared new hollywood realism, psychological pressure, and violent confrontation with social outsiders
Southern Comfort
shared river journey, survival peril, and brooding nature-versus-civilization themes
Movie Details
- Director
- John Boorman
- Release Date
- 1972-08-18
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (1888)
Cast
- Jon Voight
- Burt Reynolds
- Ned Beatty
- Ronny Cox
- Ed Ramey
- Billy Redden
- Seamon Glass
- Randall Deal
- Bill McKinney
- Herbert 'Cowboy' Coward
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Deliverance about?
- Four Atlanta friends seeking one last canoe journey through a vanishing Georgia wilderness confront rapids, hostile locals, and the darkest limits of their own survival instincts.
- What is Deliverance like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Deliverance as brisk, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Deliverance violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Deliverance as brutal.
- What did critics think of Deliverance?
- Critics broadly regard Deliverance as a gripping, beautifully filmed, ominous wilderness thriller elevated by strong performances, while some fault its sensationalism and underdeveloped ideas.
- Which films are like Deliverance?
- Films with a similar feel include The Deer Hunter, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Straw Dogs, and Southern Comfort.
- How long is Deliverance?
- Deliverance runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch Deliverance?
- In United States, Deliverance is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
