Review of Dead Calm (1989) by Gavin D — 18 Jun 2013

If you are thinking of watching "Adrift" or any of the other modern water based suspense / thiller / scary movies - forget them all. Dead Calm is the ultimate and only film of this type that is required.

I have very fond memories of this suspense thriller. Nicole Kidman and Sam Neill are a couple on a sailing trip in the pacific trying to forget something terrible in their past. They happen upon a stranded ship with a man on board.

Billy Zane is Hughie, the sole survivor on the vessel who just so happens to be a mass murdering, wife seducing general all round bad egg. Soon his true nature is revealed and they fight for their ship and their lives.

Kidman is so young in this and was a bizarre casting gamble to pair up with the much older Sam Neill - but she is fantastic and I am always impressed with her handling of the character and the script.

Dead Calm's success lies in it's atmosphere and is serenity. If you are looking for a well acted, well shot, haunting suspense thriller then this is right up your street. Even with a cast of just three actors - this film is thoroughly engrossing.