Review of Dead Calm (1989) by Alex R — 13 Jun 2011

Dead Calm is an intense horror thriller that never lets you take a breath. The film makes you stay on the edge of your seat throughout. Whats really interesting about Dead Calm is it's story. The film is set on a sailboat and it manages to be a very good film despite the fact that the plot is centered on a boat.

The film is brilliantly executed by director Philip Noyce who crafts a tense and scary film about a sociopath who is rescued from an abandoned yacht. Dead Calm has a terrific Hitchcock vibe to it. Billy Zane delivers his greatest performance here and he is demented on screen.

Dead Calm is a surprising film because the film is so tense, creepy and entertaining and the main setting is the ocean on a sailboat. The fact that the film works well in telling an effective, horrifying story proves that you don't need a big elaborate story to tell an interesting story on film.

The acting here is excellent and the thrills and scares are top notch. The film is one of the finest Horror Thrillers and what I appreciate about Dead Calm its its simplicity to the story. The film is a ride through hell that is carefully plotted to keep you on the edge of your seat til the very end.

Dead Calm is well crafted film that is very thrilling and equally creepy. It's too bad they don't make films like this anymore. This is a well acted film that will please horror and thriller fans alike.