One of the last releases by Pacific International Enterprises (the folks behind the WILDERNESS FAMILY movies), COLD RIVER seems to have been a troubled production. Many of the tell-tale signs can be seen in the closing credits, which list a 1979 copyright date and an unusual number of assistant directors and photographers. It's also evident in the movie itself, mainly from a present day prologue and epilogue. These bookends not only barely connect with the events in the main body, but has no real satisfying conclusion - just like the main story told between them!
The rest of the movie is pretty unsatisfying as well. Despite being almost completely shot outdoors, the movie is surprisingly dull to look at, due both to dark and murky photography and bland locations. It also moves at a pace that's slow as our protagonists trudging through the snow. The kids don't have that much dialogue (that's of real substance, anyway), so it's hard to get involved in their hardship and struggle. Robert Earl Jones does add a little life temporarily when his character appears.
I haven't read the novel this movie is based on (which must be popular, because it's still in print after about three decades), but I'm pretty confident fans of it will be disappointed with this adaptation.
The rest of the movie is pretty unsatisfying as well. Despite being almost completely shot outdoors, the movie is surprisingly dull to look at, due both to dark and murky photography and bland locations. It also moves at a pace that's slow as our protagonists trudging through the snow. The kids don't have that much dialogue (that's of real substance, anyway), so it's hard to get involved in their hardship and struggle. Robert Earl Jones does add a little life temporarily when his character appears.
I haven't read the novel this movie is based on (which must be popular, because it's still in print after about three decades), but I'm pretty confident fans of it will be disappointed with this adaptation.