Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers
September 25th, 2026
MOVIE: DEEP IN THE HEART 2: TEXAS RIVERS
STARRING: ETHAN HAWKE
DIRECTED BY: BEN MASTERS
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 2 ½ STARS (Out of 4)
RATED: G
RUN TIME: 85 MINUTES
It’s quite difficult to tell the difference between most nature documentaries. They typically include beautiful shots of animals in their natural habitats, weather patterns on full display, or deep dives into locations where only the smallest of creatures can go, and you’ve got yourself something enjoyable. Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers achieves all of those things and goes a little further by having a clear purpose behind it. Ultimately, though, it isn’t doing anything that hasn’t been done before. Director Ben Masters captures the water and wildlife surrounding several major river basins in Texas, with a keen eye and an educational purpose aimed at showing viewers the importance of keeping Texas’ waters flowing.
From a directorial perspective, Deep in the Heart 2 benefits from the welcome gruffness and star power of Ethan Hawke as its narrator, which is a smart choice. The Training Day star is a native Texan, and his gravelly voice is smooth enough to carry the film through its 85-minute runtime. The story begins with an overall appreciation for the Texas landscape and the diverse vegetation that covers the state. Masters paints a picture of what the planet can look like when we appreciate and protect the land we live on.
The middle section is where Masters shifts the story toward education. Similar to a presentation you might see at a museum, the film explains how Texas’ rivers and lakes are incredibly important to the richness of its soil, the flow of its water systems, and the state’s ability to withstand natural disasters. It’s when the narrative turns toward displays of disasters that have taken place that the documentary gets its strongest jolt. The film connects these tragedies to political decisions and the consequences of failing to adapt environmental practices to changing conditions. It’s in these visuals and moments of tragedy that Texas Rivers becomes more compelling.
The problems that exist, however, are natural flaws that can come with a documentary of this kind. After a while, Texas Rivers becomes too much like an educational lecture- not in a harsh way, but in a scholarly one. It undeniably becomes laborious to get through all of the important information Hawke is delivering. That can sometimes be a documentary problem, but Texas Rivers accelerates the boredom by taking deeper dives into the history of famous waterways such as the Rio Grande and the Neches River.
It’s slightly unfair to blame Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers for being similar to other National Geographic-style documentaries. A nature documentary is what it is, and this one delivers gorgeous images, amazing footage of river otters becoming more common in West Texas, and breathtaking overhead shots that showcase the wonder of our planet. On top of all that, Texas Rivers has a clear purpose and demonstrates the importance of protecting our planet in every way. It may be similar to many documentaries that came before it, but that doesn’t make its existence without value. I was at least glad that I had seen Deep in the Heart 2, and I would certainly be on board for a Deep in the Heart 3. That’s a success in my eyes.
2 ½ STARS
DEEP IN THE HEART 2: TEXAS RIVERS IS PLAYING IN SELECT THEATERS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH, 2026.
Written by: Leo Brady
