A whitewater rafting getaway turns deadly in “River Wild”, the taut new thriller from director and co-writer Ben Ketai. Based on the 1994 film “The River Wild” (written by Denis O’Neill and directed by Curtis Hanson), this new reimagining makes several significant changes to the characters and their stories while maintaining the beautiful yet treacherous setting that plays such an integral part in the film’s success.

The movie opens by introducing us to Joey (Leighton Meester), a doctor from the city on her way to meet her brother Gray (Taran Killam). He gives rafting tours down Idaho’s Salmon River. Joey is looking forward to some time away due to some slightly alluded-to tension between her and her boyfriend. So she joins Gray as he’s preparing to take two young women, Karissa (Olivia Swann) and her free-spirited best friend Van (Eve Connolly) on an excursion down the river.

Joey’s hope for some quality brother-sister bonding time is squashed after she learns Gray has invited his longtime friend Trevor (played by Meester’s real-life husband Adam Brody). Fresh off a three-year prison stint, Trevor is uncomfortably nonchalant and clearly bad news. Joey is leery of his presence which offers the first of several hints at some history that may or may not find its way into the story.

Things start great as the five rafters set out down the mostly docile river which snakes through some truly gorgeous wilderness. Filmed in Eastern Europe, DP Gevorg Gev Juguryan captures scene after scene of stunning natural beauty with Hungary, Bosnia, and Slovakia filling in nicely for Idaho. It’s an exquisitely shot film.

But the trip takes a turn after the group set up camp for the night. Van falls and sustains a skull fracture. The circumstances surrounding her fall are vague but we’re fed some pretty clear suspicions. One thing is for sure – they must get Van medical attention and they can’t wait until morning to do it. Their only option is to get back on the river and head towards the nearest ranger station, navigating both the night and the challenging rapids that lie ahead of them.

Of course over time the rafters learn that their biggest threat isn’t from nature at all. It’s from within their group. Even more suspicions arise, relationships grow more complicated, and motivations shift from sketchy to sinister. The screenplay (penned by Ketai and Mike Nguyen Le) leaves out a few too many details, but it maintains a razor-sharp focus. And along with Ketai’s unflinching direction, it does a good job steadily ratcheting up the tension.

From the very start you can’t help but notice that “River Wild” is edgier and more grounded than its 1994 inspiration. It has its head-scratching moments when characters do (or don’t do) things that’ll have you yelling at the screen. But the film’s grittier tone, kinetic pacing, and terrific performances more than make up for it. Throw in the expected yet utterly thrilling river rapids sequences and you have a movie that grabs your attention and keeps you locked in, all while surprising you in a number of ways. Most importantly, it’s not some meaningless rehash. It comes with its own ideas and ambitions. And that’s something I can always appreciate. “River Wild” is out on Blu-ray and streaming on Netflix.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS