User reviews

After reading the plot for Dead Calm I was expecting an edge-of-your-seat boat massacre thriller, and in a sense that's exactly what Dead Calm is. I was always on the edge of my seat, anxious to know what would happen next and terrified for the characters in their respective situations, but there was much less violence than I was expecting. And I'm not complaining. Most of the violence is implied rather than shown, and the movie not only deals with physical abuse but emotional and mental abuse as well. The story is basically that this couple goes out to sea on a getaway to forget about a recent tragedy, and while they're out in the middle of the ocean they encounter a strange boat and a strange man who claims that his crew was killed by food poisoning. The way the pieces come together is very satisfying, especially when the truth slowly reveals itself and both the husband and wife are going through equally scary dilemmas as this stranger is roaming freely around their boat.

The acting is really what sells this movie. A boat movie with only three characters can get boring quickly, but thanks to the cast, I was totally in it. Sam Neil is separated from the others for a good amount of the film, but when he needs to shine, he does. The anchors of this movie are Nicole Kidman and Billy Zane. Kidman is excellent as the emotionally distraught wife who is doing everything she can to keep it together while desperately trying outsmart the stranger. Billy Zane had me worried for a bit - I could tell he was acting, and at times he was a bit cartoonish, but by the end you come to realize that the character is an absolute nutcase so his erratic acting makes sense. You're not sure if he's just a guy who had a rough week, or a sympathetic victim of circumstance, or a straight up maniacal psychopath. This uncertainty helps keep the thriller afloat (yeah) and keeps you anxious to see whatever happens next.

The only real complaint I have about Dead Calm is that it does get a little slow at times. It's very atmospheric and moody for a majority of the film and there's no problem with that, but I couldn't help but be distracted during some of the longer quiet moments. Regardless, it all builds up to the movie's exciting climax which doesn't disappoint. The music is great as well - haunting and subtle. Keep in mind Dead Calm is not a jump-scare type of horror thriller. It's slow-paced, grounded and completely plausible, which for me is the scariest kind.

Dead Calm is directed by Australian film maker Philip Noyce (Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger) and he is very talented director. This film stars young Nicole Kidman (21-22 years old in this film!) as a wife to Sam Neill and they have lost their son in a horrible car accident. They want to get over it and so they go to the sea with their boat and spend several weeks there. All is going fine and they are going to get over the loss of their son, but soon they discover an abandoned looking ship in the horizon and a man (Billy Zane) paddling desperately towards them. The man reaches the ship and the couple helps him on the board. He is little confusing and suspicious and soon his real nature is revealed...

This is extremely pleasant thriller and reminds me of films written by Eric Red (The Hitcher, Near Dark, Blue Steel) and these four films are very similar. The atmosphere in Dead Calm is very haunting and incredibly restrained. The atmosphere is also very similar to David Lynch and Lost Highway and Twin Peaks. The music is very important element in Dead Calm (as is in The Hitcher and Near Dark, too) and the overall feeling is very threatening and ominous. There are many exciting and breath taking scenes such as the one in which Sam Neill is trapped in a boat that is sinking and filling with water. With music, the photography is great and there are definitely no technical flaws in this great and surprisingly effective flick.

The young Nicole Kidman is so talented and acts perfectly. No one can say she can't act. Just look at her face and expressions: she is the main character in here and she is almost in every scene and she does nothing wrong or never acts over the top. The other actor's are also great, Sam Neill and Bill Zane, even though Zane goes little too far in couple of scenes and is not too believable. But overall, because there are so many great elements here, these little flaws and illogical plot turns can be forgiven.

Philip Noyce is worth watching director and he has done also other effective thrillers, but I think this will be one of his greatest achievements. Dead Calm is highly recommended.

8/10

This great suspense, thriller will have you gripping your seat in every scene. I'm serious. It is one of those that never lets its pace slow down. The realistic plot keeps you thinking, What if that happened to me?, also its not far fetched at all, every scene is acted and directed in a very realistic way, unlike other suspense films which like to stray from reality. The excellent acting, direction and the nail-biting music score keep you tangled up in the suspense filled story, you look past it's minor flaws. It is one of those movies you don't forget. Definitely a must see. Grab onto the arm-rest of your couch before you fall overboard, it's intense. ***1/2 out of ****

I really felt in suspense throughout Dead Calm. Sam Neill as the everyman and Nicole Kidman as his recovering wife were wholly believable as grieving parents taking a vacation to move past their tragedies. Billy Zane as the disturbed third wheel (see Titanic, Head Above Water) in the relationship was also very effective in his role. The suspense builds throughout and leads to a very memorable climax. Recommended, 7/10.

In Dead Calm, we get Sam Neill (before Jurassic Park), Nicole Kidman (before Days of Thunder), and Billy Zane (way before Titanic) in an aquatic thriller. The premise is set up well - a vacationing couple (John & Rae, the Ingrams, after the death of their son in a road accident) on a yacht ends up saving a man from a supposedly sinking ship, far far away from shore. The man (Zane plays Hughie) has some secrets (and creepy traits) that he hides until a pivotal moment arrives.

What's so good about Dead Calm is not its plot - it's the wonderful oceanic cinematography by Dean Semler. The performances too, are first-rate. The storytelling tries to balance John's struggles to survive as the Ingrams get separated, and Rae's personal battle with Hughie on the yacht as he tries to overpower her. John's scenes (with zero dialogue) on the ship are more thrilling than what happens aboard the Ingrams' yacht. As the antagonist, Zane was awkwardly creepy at times and laughably funny at others.

There's also the incoherent twist at the end, which was completely unnecessary. In this case, I'd have preferred the ambiguity. Nonetheless, it's a neat watch for the solid performances and some deliciously packed thrills.

Claustrophobic thriller that's definitely a cut above the average. Basically it's a 3 person cast but it definitely works. Husband and wife pick up a mysterious stranger in the middle of the ocean and from there things start to get messy. Sam Neil and Nicole Kidman both did an adequate job with what they had to work with (although I really don't think Nicole Kidman was anything particularly special here) but the star of the show was Billy Zane. He was just fantastic in his role. In Dead Calm he was just so believable and brilliant as the unbalanced stranger with less than good intentions. Hard to believe he's never really been given the opportunity to shine like he did in this film. As far as thrillers go this is one definitely worth watching....Now if only they had managed to deny indulging in the awful cliches that seem to infest even the best thrillers.

If you watch it (especially the end) you'll see what I mean.

Overall

A thriller better than most and once again a much better than average movie without a big budget. Not to mention a good actor (Billy Zane) in his best role ever.

7 Stars out of ten.

I was most inspired to check this out knowing it was Nicole Kidman's breakthrough performance. Once you get into the movie it somehow feels like a cross between Event Horizon and, like, Titanic, but in the form of a 90's style thriller, which I suppose you have to give it a little extra credit for considering it's from 1989, so the vibe probably played a part in inspiring some of the vibe of 90's films.

Halfway through, I wasn't sure I was going to be a fan of this movie, but the last half hour hits in just the right ways to the extent that it makes the whole movie worthwhile. It's why thrillers are called thrillers - it's thrilling as hell. Up until those satisfying scenes, it just felt like an extremely formulaic experience - and Billy Zane is kind of a hard sell. Zane is, at least bizarre - as usual. His energy is always jarring but I feel like it's most jarring when it's not supposed to be, less so when it is. Kidman definitely steals the show but all three leads have strong enough presences to round the movie out well. I also enjoyed the somewhat zany music score - felt very Australian.

This is a quick, painless viewing so there's no point not to see it if you're interested in 80's/90's thrillers or curious to see where Kidman and Zane had their beginnings. Solid flick!

'Dead Calm' features only three characters, and the confines of a yacht, and they utilize every possible moment to create suspense!

After losing their son in a tragic accident a young couple, Rae (Kidman) and John (Neill), decide to take a break by going sailing on their yacht. However, their tranquility is shattered when they rescue a mysterious stranger from an apparent ill-fated galleon.

Billy Zane is excellent as the antagonist Hughie Warriner. Being a sea veteran, John immediately distrusts Hughie. His suspicions are soon justified and their lives become a living hell and fight for survival. Every detail is so well set-up. 'Dead Calm' is a psychological horror, and excellent character study. A very young Kidman is really good as the film's protagonist. The film also ends on a satisfying note.

'Dead Calm' won awards for Best Cinematography, Best Original Musical Score, Best Achievement in Sound and Best Editing. The New York Times named it one of the 1000 best films ever made.

Would I watch it again? Yes, definitely.

A terrific thriller set on the sea with three fine actors portraying characters of control, resurrection, and unbalance. Sam Neil portrays the fearless, in control naval captain. His abilities combined with the institution of marriage display a refine existence. Compare Neil's abilities with Billy Zane's self induced party boy image who survives by the primitive nature of man and you will see structure verses chaos. Zane's character is sexy and alluring therefore irresistible to sexual stimuli. Nicole Kidman is faced with recovering from the loss of her child; shown, in the start of the film, being thrown out of the front of a car windshield. There, in the dead calm of an open sea, she must resurrect her abilities of courage and strength. She faces off the unbalanced nature of Zane's character using her sexual allure as well but in a very different capacity. It is all about survival using the tools given to you and the tools you acquire. A brilliant thriller set in one location. Directed with sexual tension. ***

I've seen this several times over the years, and I must say this is a really good thriller. It always keeps me interested. Also, since I'm interested in the sea and ships, that's probably part of the reason why I like the movie so much.

A young Nicole Kidman plays Rae, the wife of John Ingram (Sam Neill), who are taking a sailing trip in the Pacific after losing their only son in an automobile accident. They are having fun sailing through the ocean when they come to a sinking schooner with a man paddling frantically towards their boat in a lifeboat. The man, Hughie Warriner (Billy Zane), turns out to be a crazed lunatic, and when John goes off to check the schooner, Hughie kidnaps his wife and his ship. They are in the fight of their life.

Nicole Kidman is both beautiful and talented. She doesn't say much in the movie, but her expressions and actions are well portrayed. Billy Zane is a convincing psychopath and Sam Neill is a good actor also. The cinematography is great and the scenery is really beautiful. The only real problem with the movie is the plot.

The movie's conflict could've easily been resolved had it not been for stupid mistakes. The script relies too heavily on these stupid mistakes. Nicole's character gets numerous chances to kill the psychopath, but she never takes them. And anyone in their right mind wouldn't leave their wife with a stranger to check out a strange ship. The characters' lack of common sense is really what keeps the story moving.

But, these plot holes can be forgiven. The acting is great, the direction is great, the cinematography is great. The script could've used more work, but that is forgivable. If you enjoy thrillers or are interested in the sea and ships, I suggest you check this movie out. You won't be disappointed.

Rating: 8/10

A couple at sea on their boat is taken hostage by a psycho who joins them after abandoning his sinking boat. After a rather superfluous prologue in which the couple's child is killed, the film shifts to the main plot and quickly builds up the tension. Kidman is fine in her first starring role, although her character is such a ninny that one almost roots for the bad guy. Zane is a magnetic presence as the villain, somewhat reminiscent of a young Marlon Brando. The film doesn't quite know when to roll the credits, and the finale is laughably bad. There are parallels to "Knife in the Water," although this film is not as good as that Roman Polanksi thriller.

Could have been 'Cape Fear' great.

I think the 'dramatic intro catalyst', just for an excuse to be on the boat, wasn't needed. The way Kidman plays it doesn't help.

Though she totally fits the character for the rest.

I can't believe it made it to the final cut.

I would have just wrote up something different and shot new scenes.

It's not 'moving'. It's like nails on a chalkboard.

- Sam Neil was the Roy Scheider of his time.

He seems to always fit, no matter the caliber that surrounds him.

Billy Zane and Kidman do good enough.

- It's one of those 80s/90s flicks where the bad guy is draped in thick plot armor - forever returning for one more round.

Cut off the last 10 minutes, and rewrite the 1st 20 - and this movie could have had legs.

This film is a very good suspense thriller with excellent casting. Nicole Kidman plays Ray Ingram who is a women who just lost her child in a car accident, and is on a a yacht with her husband John, played by Sam Neil. Billy Zane plays the psychotic mass murderer. There were a few flaws such as some scenes of Sam Neil below deck of the sinking boat trying to survive. A little far fetched.

The film was excellent except for the ending. It should have ended when Ray and John cut the rescue dingy lose. The way Billy Zane's character reappears at the ending was phoney and not plausibly.

A streamlined version of the 1963 seaborne thriller by suspense novelist Charles Williams. The book practically demanded a doctorate in nautical terminology--and a good deal of patience as I labored through the occasionally endless psycho-babble--but, wisely, the filmmakers dispensed with all that, leaving only the simple, edge-of-your-seat plot. In her first major movie role, twenty-two-year-old Nicole Kidman is a ravishing redhead with the face of a teenager and (even then) a power and expressiveness beyond her years, and, also in an early role, Billy Zane as the interloper, Hughie, is flat-out scary. (Two more attractive faces in late 80s cinema would have been hard to find.) Sam Neill as John underplays his scenes of high-seas heroism perfectly. "Dead Calm" isn't a great film, but it's certainly a good one, and despite its lack of much of an explanation for Hughie's behavior--which the book provided via all that tiresome layman's psycho-babble--it's still an improvement. See it, but pop a Dramamine first. You may need it.

Dead Calm is one of those rare thrillers with good acting, suspense and great setting. The ocean setting really makes this film, as well as the 2 boats. Kidman is a realistic and resourceful character and because the film had only 3 main characters throughout the whole movie, you go through the same emotions the actors do in the film. The ending seemed tacked on, but because the whole film is so good, the ending doesn't hurt nor help the film. Well paced, acted and overall great movie. 9/10

I can say I've never been so disturbed in such a unique way by a performance. Billy Zane while not terrifying was completely unsettling and yet charismatic. While he's not outright malicious, he is deranged and dangerous.

I've always loved Sam Neill and this is another one of his movies that I love him in. Easy to root for him to succeed, and the same goes for Nicole. The performances are all around top-notch.

The deadly waters are a part of what keeps tensions high. The practical effects are all well done to show how deadly the open ocean is.

A minimal, well written plot and characters. When you do things right, not much else is needed.

I recommend this horror filled thrill ride!

I absolutely love 'Dead Calm'. It is among my favorite movies, and I've probably watched it 5 or 6 times over the years.

'Lost at sea' stories have always appealed to me and this one is, in my opinion, one of the best ever filmed. The plot and characters are original and quirky, which sets 'Dead Calm' apart from the stacks of other sea tales. This is a truly intense thriller -- packed with so many twists and turns that it's totally compelling from beginning to end.

Nicole Kidman is positively stunning as Rae Ingram, a strong and invincible young woman who is determined to rescue her husband, John (Sam Neill). Billy Zane is incredibly good as the villain, Hughie Warriner. He is so convincing and scary that, to this day, I find it difficult to watch Zane in other films without thinking of Hughie.

'Dead Calm' delivers an engrossing story that is well performed and very unique.

After tragically losing their son in a car accident, wealthy Australian Sam Neill (as John Ingram) and his exceptionally beautiful young wife Nicole Kidman (as Rae) take their dog "Benji" and set sail for a hopefully restful vacation on their yacht. Out on the "Dead Calm" Pacific Ocean waters, they find handsome Billy Zane (as Hughie Warriner) in distress. He claims his boat is sinking and everyone else on board has died from food poisoning. As this seems a likely story, they rescue the attractively shirtless and suspicious-looking Mr. Zane. This leads to the problems you'd expect, under these circumstances. This situation, probably done best by Roman Polanski in "Knife in the Water" (1962), is built on the supposition that the handsome newcomer may be dangerous and will reveal an aggressive sexual interest in the pretty woman. The cast is attractive, the formula works and the photography (by Dean Semler) is beautiful.

****** Dead Calm (4/7/89) Phillip Noyce ~ Nicole Kidman, Billy Zane, Sam Neill, Rod Mullinar

Dumbest premise for a movie ever. An intelligent Naval officer leaves his wife and boat with a stranger on board to get in to a dingy and row over to another boat when he could have just driven his boat over just like his wife started to do. Really? Does any one but me see how implausible this seems? lmao