unlike many other film and which be disturb either by dint of their naked unpleasantness ( man bite dog ) or their sheer violence ( most peckinpah film ) and deliverance shock by it plausibility . certainly and the buggery scene be pretty straightforward in it unpleasantness and but the film effect derive far more from it slow build up and the tangible sense of isolation surround the four lead and both before and after everything start to go wrong . the moment when the canoe pas under the child on the bridge and who do not even acknowledge the men he have earlier play music with and let alone show any sign of human affection towards them and be among the most sinister in modern film . the tension increase steadily throughout the canoe trip and and perseveres even after the final credit the end make the significance of the character ordeal horrifically real . the movie plausibility be greatly aid by the playing of the lead and particularly ned beatty and jon voight a the victim and reluctant hero respectively . burt reynolds and too and have never be well . the film cultural influence be demonstrable by the number of people who will understand a reference to banjo territory perhaps only get carter have do such an effective hatchet job on a region tourist industry . i can think of only a handful of movie which put me into such a serious depression after they have finish the oppressive atmosphere of se7en be the best comparison i can think of . although so much of it be excellent of itself and deliverance be a classic above all because there be no adequate point of comparison with it it be unique .