Dead Calm (1989)

There are several occasions when this rousing Australian thriller from 1987 should have ended with a well-placed shot from a speargun or a stronger knot of rope, but you don't think about these nit-picky details when you're being scared out of your wits. In a role that catapulted her to international stardom, Nicole Kidman plays a young wife who's joined her husband (Sam Neill) on a yachting trip to recover from the tragic death of their son. Far out to sea, they encounter a sinking ship with one survivor (Billy Zane, ten years before Titanic), but inviting him aboard turns out to be a very bad mistake. While Neill attempts to salvage the sinking boat, Kidman is fighting for her life against the psychotic Zane--a villain so creepy that you eagerly look forward to his demise. By the time that moment arrives director Phillip Noyce has resorted to a typical slasher-movie climax (proving that no boat should be without a flare gun), but until then Dead Calm is a nail-biting thriller that's guaranteed to keep you in a state of nail-biting suspense. To accommodate the widescreen compositions on the open ocean, the DVD offers the film in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com essential video

Terrific movie

Love Nicole Kidman. This is a terrific thriller. One of her "early roles" - before she started using so much botox.... November 10, 2008

He's Totally InZane!...

After a tragic auto accident claims the life of their only son, Joe Ingram (Sam Neill from Jurassic Park, In The Mouth Of Madness, and Omen 3) and his wife, Rae (Nicole Kidman herself!!) take off on a sea voyage in order to recover from their grief. All is well until the couple comes across a ship that appears to be dead in the water. A man (Billy Zane) is furiously rowing toward them in a small boat. Joe and Rae take the man (named Hughie) aboard, and he tells a strange tale of death and survival that Joe just doesn't quite buy. Once Hughie falls asleep, Joe takes a little trip out to the ship to do a bit of investigating. Of course, Hughie wakes up prematurely, and the intense fun begins! Kidman is fantastic in this. She plays her role with increasing urgency and just the right amount of terror. Neill is steady and sure as always, and Zane is the picture-perfect lunatic! As thrillers go, DEAD CALM is one of the best... July 4, 2008

Dead Calm

Dead Calm,
A thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from begining to end. June 26, 2008

Well-done suspense

This is a well-done suspense thriller, small, very competent cast. Good direction. Sam Neil and Nicole Kidman do a terrific job. The photography is a bit uninspired, but consistent throughout. March 3, 2008

They make the most out of what they have

I didn't know what to expect out of this film, if anything much. Though Nicole Kidman, Sam Neil and Billy Zane are all very recognizable actors, this film was set before their rise to stardome. These are not only the three main characters in the film, but after the first 10 minutes, basically the only 3 charcaters in this film. The setting is in seclusion out in the open ocean - 2 small ships. One is the fancy little yaught that the Neil and Kidman characters are vacationing on, and the other, in the process of sinking, with a fleeing Billy Zane who comes abaord the couple's yaught. The husband (Neil) tries to salvage the sinking ship while Zane rests up, but when he wakes, his true self comes to life as the films' villain, kidnapping the wife (Kidman) and stealing the yaught.

The limited setting of a small yaught kept me wondering how interesting and up-to pace the plot would actually be. Surprisingly, there are some little twists and surprising events along the way, mostly trying to figure out this villain - who he really is and what his intentions are. He's obviously psychotic, yet at the same time very weird and unusual. And while the suspenseful thrills aboard the yaught take place between Kidman and Zane, Neil is in a very tight spot, trapped inside the other ship quickly sinking. In the end, like many thrillers, it's all not over till its over. The climax finally picks up the greatest pace and came to a satisfying conclusion.

Though there is only so much you can do with a film like this, the creators did a decent job of making the most out of it. An original setting for a thriller makes this worthy of checking out, but overall, its mildly entertaining at most.

Acting - 4
Characters - 4
Story - 3.5
Suspense - 4
Overall - 4
January 4, 2008

More reviews at Amazon.com ...