This week on Forgotten Cinema, Forgotten Summer comes to an end with "White Water Summer", the 1987 wilderness adventure starring Kevin Bacon and Sean Astin.
Unfortunately, neither Mike Butler nor Mike Field is particularly impressed. The film has the ingredients for an engaging survival story, but its characters repeatedly make frustrating decisions and the movie never fully develops its most interesting ideas.
One of the biggest problems is Sean Astin’s narration, which was added two years after principal photography. Rather than adding clarity or emotional depth, these bookends make his character even less likable.
Kevin Bacon’s camp leader could have been the film’s most compelling character. His demanding methods, unclear motivations, and increasingly dangerous behavior suggest a much more complicated person beneath the surface. Unfortunately, the movie does very little with him until its final ten or fifteen minutes, leaving most of that potential unexplored.
Filled with questionable choices, underdeveloped characters, and an unnecessary narration that actively works against the film, "White Water Summer" brings Forgotten Summer to a disappointing, though certainly memorable, conclusion.
What are some other forgotten outdoor teenage comedy/survival movies that we didn't mention this episode? Let us know in the comments!
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0:00 - Introduction
3:41 - Film Facts
8:14 - Film Discussion
27:42 - Reviews
31:58 - Who Would You Recommend This To?
37:34 - Why Is This Forgotten?
41:24 - Plugs
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