Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23754 in DVD
• Released on: 2000-02-21
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Arabic, Bulgarian, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French, Italian
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 95 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
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 small 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 has 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, 10 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. --Jeff Shannon

Special Features
2.35 Wide Screen
French\Italian
English\Italian
English
Region 2
Dolby Surround English French Italian
Dolby Surround
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Arabic\Bulgarian\Dutch\English\French\German\Italian\Portuguese\Romanian\Spanish

Synopsis
Returning from duty with the Australian navy, John Ingram (Sam Neill) is surprised to be met by two policemen, who inform him of a car accident that has left his son dead and his wife, Rae (Nicole Kidman), injured. The grieving couple seeks refuge on their yacht, the Saracen. Out on the boat, the skies are sunny, the sea calm--but on the horizon is another vessel, the Orpheus. As John and Rae approach the ship, they find a lone survivor, Hughie Warriner (Billy Zane), who tells them that the other crew members have died of food poisoning. Leaving Rae behind with the sleeping Hughie, the suspicious John boards the Orpheus--only to be confronted with a horrifying situation.
Australian filmmaker Phillip Noyce directs the film, based on a novel by Charles Williams, with great inventiveness--whether focusing on the tranquil water, the violent Hughie, the resourceful Sam, or the determined Rae with her luminous, translucent blue eyes. A suspenseful thriller reminiscent of Roman Polanski's KNIFE IN THE WATER, DEAD CALM is a chilling tale of trouble on the high seas.

Customer Reviews

Gripping suspenseful thriller!!
This is a truly intense thriller packed with so many twists and turns that it's totally compelling from beginning to end. Staring Sam Neill and Nicole Kidman, the plot revolves around a couple who spend some time sailing in the Pacific to help them get past the death of their son. They soon come across a sinking boat and pick up a stranger who turns out to be a homicidal maniac, played excellently by Billy Zane. The situation rapidly becomes impossible for the couple as they must rise to the challenge. The atmosphere in Dead Calm is very haunting and incredibly restrained. The setting is perfect for a movie of this genre. The ocean is seemingly endless and completely empty. Dead Calm is one of those movies you don't forget. The suspense and tension make this film a powerful and outstanding entertainment. Definitely a must see.

True classic
The suspense of this movie is incredible. Zane is excellent in the movie as the nutcase castaway. Nicole is young and attractive and right for the role. All actors are believable. A simple film that only involves 3 people that most reviewers here have raved about..must be good. This film keeps you on the edge of your seat. The sex scene where Zane attempts to sleep with Kidman and succeeds may be disturbing to women. Kidman stupidly leads him into thinking there is an attraction between them so ends up having sex with him. The scene is hot and intense as she at last minute tries to get away but fails. Thrillers rarely get any better than this. To sum it up in short. Pyscho meets a couple at sea. Pyscho does what he wants as they do. The director knew how to keep the viewer interested and I wonder if he does a good job as this in other films he has done. All actors were picked well for this film and do a good job. The actors are just as important as the director. They mixed extremely well together here. The movie is a classic and should be bought if you like your thrillers exciting and not boring.

A film that is anything but calm
'Dead Calm is a film that had me taut with excitement from start to finish. The tension and frustration really built up throughout the film right up to the climax. The feeling of isolation experienced by the charaters is well exploited with some excellent cinematography. I found the performances by the three stars to be both convincing and entertaining especially the 'bad guy' played by Billy Zane who is suitably sinister and quite frightening.

The story is a simple (on the surface) tale of a young couple who go away to spend some quality time together on a sailing trip. One day they meet a sinking ship and rescue a single survivor. However, after investigation things seem to take a turn for the worse and the couple begin to understand the kind of man they took on board. While all the acting is good it is really the director's (Philip Noyce) masterful manipulation of the tension that will have you on the verge of a heart attack towards the finish.

Overall this film gets a solid 4 stars due to a lack of explanation and insight into some key points that I felt needed to be explored in more detail. I would recommend watching this film but, unless it takes your fancy, it isn't worth buying.