‘River’ Trailer Review: Jane Levy and Jessica Rothe Face a Masked Killer

Jane Levy and Jessica Rothe find themselves trapped in a fight for survival in River, a new horror film from writer-director Joshua Giuliano. The trailer introduces three estranged siblings whose attempt to scatter their father’s ashes turns dangerous when a masked killer appears along a remote river.

The siblings return to their rural hometown following their father’s death. Lucy (Levy), her older sister Carla (Rothe) and their brother Drew (Max Mattern) take a boat to a river they once visited with their father. Their family tensions surface during the trip, but the situation becomes far more dangerous when the boat breaks down, leaving them stranded without cell service.

Photo: Universal Pictures

The trailer shows a masked figure watching the siblings from the riverbank. When Carla attempts to reach shore, the stranger enters the water and pursues her. The encounter makes clear that the river offers no easy escape, and the siblings soon find themselves hunted by a threat they do not understand.

Dane DiLiegro plays the killer, whose concealed face and sudden movements give the trailer its central source of danger. The footage withholds much of the figure’s background, leaving questions about his identity and motives unanswered. It also hints at a wider threat in the surrounding wilderness, suggesting the siblings may be dealing with more than an isolated attacker.

Photo: Universal Pictures

The film’s setting gives the survival story a clear obstacle. With the boat out of commission and help beyond reach, the siblings must decide how to escape while dealing with their strained relationships. Their father’s death has brought them together, but it has not resolved the disagreements that have kept them apart. Those tensions could complicate their efforts to work together when cooperation becomes essential.

Levy brings previous horror experience from Evil Dead and Don’t Breathe, while Rothe is known for the Happy Death Day films. Their casting gives the film two leads familiar with the demands of the genre. Mattern completes the central trio as Drew, whose relationship with his sisters forms part of the family conflict.

Photo: Universal Pictures

Giuliano wrote and directed River, marking his feature directorial debut. The film premiered in the Midnight Madness section of the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2026, where it attracted critical attention for its visual style and approach to horror. Reviews have been positive overall, although some critics have raised concerns about the dialogue and character development. The film’s reported 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes reflects a strong early critical response, but the individual reviews show that not every aspect has received the same praise.

Photo: Universal Pictures

The trailer’s most effective element is the siblings’ limited choice of escape routes. The river initially serves as the destination for their farewell to their father, then becomes the place where they must fight to stay alive. Whether the film can sustain that tension across its full runtime will become clearer when audiences see how Giuliano develops the story beyond the initial pursuit.

River is scheduled to open in U.S. theaters on January 15, 2027.