Dead Calm

Name: Dead Calm
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Released: April 7, 1989
Duration: 96 min
Rating: 70
Cast: Billy Zane, Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill

1989

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Ratings

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Dead Calm

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. | Release Date: April 7, 1989 | R

Starring: Billy Zane, Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill

Summary: After a tragedy, John Ingram and his wife Rae spend some time isolated at sea when they come across a stranger who has abandoned a sinking ship.

Director: Phillip Noyce

Genre(s): Thriller, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 96 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Rick Groen

Rippling with resonance, Dead Calm is Jaws in a human form, a shape profoundly complete and completely disturbing. [07 Apr 1989]

Time Out London Staff (Not Credited)

Director Noyce's bravura camerawork conspires with Terry Hayes' spare script (adapted from the novel by Charles Williams) and some edgy cutting to exploit every ounce of tension, right down to a killer ending. Read full review

The Telegraph Tim Robey

Cinematogapher Dean Semler gets amazing colours as the sun sets, and there’s a bravely avant-garde debut score from Kiwi composer Graeme Revell, pumping up the pulse with sinister breathing sounds. The plot even thrives on a tacit cultural tension between the Australian stars and the arrogant interloper. Read full review

Gene Siskel

Though the film resorts to a hackneyed ending, what goes on before is modest but effective terror. [07 Apr 1989, p.A]

Mike Clark

Thanks to fuzzy motivation, snicker-bait melodramatics and craters in logic, Calm quickly disintegrates into a might-have-been. [07 Apr 1989, p.6D]

Desson Thomson

Noyce's direction moves impressively from sensual tenderness (between husband and wife) to edge-of-the-seat horror. he finds lurking dangers in quiet, peaceful waters and goes down with the good ship Dead Calm, his head held high. If you don't mind 11th-hour disappointments (including a laughable, Hollywood-kicker ending), you'll enjoy going down with it too. Read full review

Caryn James

Disturbing for all the wrong reasons. Read full review

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User Reviews

timone

Nov 30, 2021

I was so ready for the thrill ride since I am ready to see Dead Calm which is filled with scares, terror and you guys are waiting to know what is happening and getting you on the edge of your seat like myself to be include. This movie stars Sam Neill, a very young Nicole Kidman and BillyI was so ready for the thrill ride since I am ready to see Dead Calm which is filled with scares, terror and you guys are waiting to know what is happening and getting you on the edge of your seat like myself to be include. This movie stars Sam Neill, a very young Nicole Kidman and Billy Zane. It had that very evocative plot and story it executes really well. It's really like you swimming in the middle of nowhere and then you thinking about how are you gonna get back. The thrills are great, the acting is unbelievable and I quite like the cinematography in this film. Dead Calm is a film that you have to stay calm while you watch it, I mean DEAD calm! I would recommend it if you are a fan of psychological thrillers. If you haven't seen Dead Calm, go watch it! It's just great!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DawdlingPoet

Nov 25, 2021

This is a somewhat typical, reasonable thriller from the late 1980s starring a fresh faced Nicole Kidman. There are some tense moments but I wouldn't say it was particularly scary as such. Billy Zane does well portraying the villain. I'd recommend this film, yes.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

OriginalDanger

Mar 21, 2021

Dead Calm is a 1989 thriller, supposedly meant to be a horror too but the only horror is it ever being made.. Let's face it, it's not scary and the story is pretty weak. A couple out at sea on a boat and they encounter some stranger who's deserted some ship and the husband whilst theDead Calm is a 1989 thriller, supposedly meant to be a horror too but the only horror is it ever being made.. Let's face it, it's not scary and the story is pretty weak. A couple out at sea on a boat and they encounter some stranger who's deserted some ship and the husband whilst the strangers asleep checks out the boat he's deserted and nearly ends up drowning, with the stranger on board Nicole Kidman tries drugging him, tying him up, shooting him, pretty much anything really and to turn the boat around to go back for her husband.... In the end she finds her husband and the stranger who came aboard meets his death.... Sam Neil was great but Billy Zane was very annoying and Nicole Kidman was silly, can't believe they took this long to film this garbage and it's all out at sea. The storyline isn't great and the audience doesn't get much fun viewing or anything to write home about. Not much violence, not much of anything really and it's certainly not a horror because it's not scary. Silly film and boring.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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