Poor Terry...he could have been a hero
* SPOILERS *
I enjoy The River Wild enough that I can overlook it's many problems. It's a great 'flawed' film. However, there is one fault that can't be forgiven.
Through the course of the movie, Terry uneasily goes from being the dumb/loyal, sidekick criminal - to being a frustrated pawn, struggling with each bad turn of events. Lacking Wade's cruel savvy, the confused and not-as-cold Terry is trapped like Gail and family - but on a different scale. Terry wants the money; but at what further price?
Played with subtle humility by John C. Reilly, Terry the 'bad guy' is in an uneasy battle with himself - he's becoming respectful of Gail's crisis; weary of Wade; and later, he seems hurt by Roarke's rejection of his friendship. He's a reluctant enemy, who will not be able to finish this mission the way that Wade has planned.
The script allows that he might kill Wade in the end - but no way can Terry kill Gail and Roarke.
As the movie boils down to it's inevitable, post-gauntlet showdown - we know two things for sure; Wade will again turn criminal - and Gail will help kill him. What we don't know for sure, is what role Terry will play in this.
It is here that The River Wild is a cheat, by abandoning all character developement.
Terry the criminal can't win. Wade has no more use for him, and Terry is a dangerous witness (friendship is no longer a factor). However, Terry does have the choice he seems to have been building toward throughout the film - he can help Gail to thwart Wade. Many possibilities exist in this scenario.
But instead, the film gets lazy and goes for the easy exit of having Terry pathetically reverting back to his dumb criminal side, and getting nothing more for it than a busted arm - courtesy of Gail.
Later, Terry is just a failure and a felon as he is led away by the authorities. No redemption. Nothing.
The film would have us believe that it treated Terry fairly because he's the one who lived, and not Wade. What the hell?!
This impressive early role for the awsome John C. Reilly deserved a better finale. As did the story that preceded it.