8 Thrilling Whitewater Movies

This list of the best whitewater movies has something for everyone, regardless of your taste in documentaries, 80s cinema, or Meryl Streep! As you work your way through these amazing rafting, canoeing, and kayaking films, head down Niagara, get to know the New Zealand whitewater kayaking community, and see Kevin Bacon in several different roles... in several different whitewater movies!

The River Runner (2021)

"River Runner" is a documentary film directed by Rush Sturges, that focuses on the adventure and personal journey of Scott Lindgren, a renowned kayaker. The film chronicles his quest to complete the first descent of the four great rivers that originate from Tibet’s sacred Mount Kailash: the Indus, the Brahmaputra, the Sutlej, and the Karnali. These rivers are among the most challenging and dangerous in the world, making Lindgren's endeavor a remarkable feat in the world of extreme kayaking.

"River Runner" is more than just a film about kayaking; it is a poignant story of human determination, the fight against personal demons, and the pursuit of dreams against all odds. Through Scott Lindgren's journey, the film provides an insightful look into the world of extreme sports and the profound personal transformations that can accompany such daring pursuits.

Chasing Niagara (2015)

This fast-paced documentary focused on friendship and chasing your dreams is an inspiring watch, filled with stunning shots of waterfalls – not just of Niagara, as the film’s title would suggest. It also features inspiring narration from those involved in the three-year lead up to the main event, of kayaking over Niagara Falls. Rafa Ortiz, a professional kayaker, had the ultimate dream of kayaking over North America’s most-famous waterfall, Niagara Falls, a large and illegal dream – as it is forbidden to go over the Falls in any way. Watch in awe as Rafa and his friends practice on the falls and whitewater of Mexico and around the Pacific Northwest of the USA, and strategically plan and prepare for this challenging feat, of kayaking over a 150-foot drop. This documentary is interesting even just in showing the sheer amount of planning and preparation needed for such a task.

Rivering (2016)

"Rivering" is a peaceful, inspiring and heartwarming crowdfunded documentary film, looking at the whitewater kayaking community in New Zealand, filmed over a three year period. This is a beautiful piece of documentary filmmaking, and a great watch for those interested in finding out more about the sport or just wanting to hear the hypnotic sounds of the whitewater as you watch people doing a sport that they very clearly love, in stunning surroundings. A labour of love undertaken by director and whitewater enthusiast, Bill Parks, created with a limited budget and not for profit, (as the film was made to be free to watch after release), this documentary oozes with pure love for this sport.

Without a Paddle (2004)

This typical noughties tale of childhood friends reuniting for a life-changing outdoor adventure seems pretty run-of-the-mill at first glance, but actually offers a lot of laughs – albeit with some predictability along the way. This tale of three now-adult childhood friends getting back together 12 years after graduating features familiar comedic actors such as Dax Shepard, Seth Green and Matthew Lillard.

The film’s central idea is about trying to stay close to the friends that you may have drifted apart from, as life has taken you on different paths. These three friends come together after the death of a mutual friend, and decide to undertake an adventure that they had all dreamt about during their school years, of tracking down some lost treasure. This tale of an outdoor adventure, featuring canoeing (not so successfully…) over a waterfall, getting lost in the wilderness and conquering your fears leaves something to be desired in the believability part, as well as a couple of cringe worthy moments along the way, but overall is a fun watch featuring some beautiful whitewater shots and a bit of wilderness camping.

The River Wild (1994)

A whitewater adventure film like no other, this 90’s classic is packed full of Hollywood’s finest, featuring Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon and John C. Reilly. Set on the Salmon River in Idaho, USA, a somewhat dysfunctional family, headed by Streep, set off on a rafting holiday in the hopes of forging a closer bond. This whitewater rafting adventure isn’t a happy holiday for long though, as the family of three bumps into some not-so-friendly characters whom are also attempting to raft the river.

"The River Wild", a big-budget rafting flick, has garnered some mixed reviews in the many years since its release, but at its core remains a fun, and somewhat thrilling, family whitewater adventure… and with a Meryl Streep performance in it, which is fabulous of course. A film full of dangerous whitewater stunts, some of which Streep did herself, this movie is great to watch for some challenging and inspiring rafting action!

White Mile (1994)

Robert Butler was the director of the 1994 American thriller-drama "White Mile", which starred Alan Alda, Peter Gallagher, and Robert Loggia. On May 21, 1994, HBO hosted its original premiere of it. Head of an advertising agency Dan Cutler invites coworkers on a whitewater rafting trip. For some, Cutler's invitation seems more like an order because he views the outing as a test of his staff members' bravery, confidence, and abilities. Nick Karas, a retired advertising executive, was added at the last minute because he thought Cutler was just going fishing and wanted to help him get some clients.

Along Canada's "White Mile", tragedy strikes when the inflatable carrying the large group overturns, engulfing everyone in the rushing current and carrying them all away. Karas, a retiree, two agency executives, and two clients pass away. Subsequently, Cutler clashes with one of his senior executives, Jack Robbins, regarding the narrative that authorities should present about the aftermath.

Whitewater Summer (1987)

Yet another film on this list of the best white waters movies to feature Kevin Bacon. "Whitewater Summer" is a classic 80’s American coming-of-age movie that happens to be centered around a summer camping and hiking adventure in the Sierra Nevada wilderness, (though some scenes were actually filmed on rivers in New Zealand). This film follows a group of teenage boys, led by Vic their hiking guide – played by Bacon, on an outdoors adventure that includes climbing, hiking and some great whitewater canoeing to propel their journey along.

This lighthearted summer movie is a fun watch for outdoor and whitewater enthusiasts and 80’s movie fans alike. If watching Kevin Bacon navigate a series of whitewater rapids, or listening to a great 80’s soundtrack by American rock-band, Journey, or seeing some fantastic shots of whitewater and waterfalls floats your boat (or canoe,) then this is the film for you!

Deliverance (1972)

"Deliverance", released in 1972, is an American film directed by John Boorman. It is an adaptation of James Dickey's 1970 novel of the same name, for which he wrote the screenplay. The film was added to the National Film Registry for preservation at the Library of Congress in the USA in 2008. The story follows four friends from Atlanta - Ed (Jon Voight), Lewis (Burt Reynolds), Bobby (Ned Beatty), and Drew (Ronny Cox) - who embark on a weekend canoeing trip down the remote Cahulawassee River in Georgia. Their aim is to experience the river before it is dammed and turned into a lake. What starts as an adventurous getaway soon turns into a harrowing fight for survival. The film's white-water canoeing scenes are both thrilling and terrifying, showcasing the natural beauty and danger of the river.

Does it make you want to try kayaking on rapids?

Maybe our list as inspired you to grab a paddle and try whitewater canoeing, kayaking or rafting yourself. You won't be disappointed!

But before you set off, we suggest you read this whitewater kayaking complete guide to get you ready for the D-day!