Did you people see the same film I saw?

A different way of telling a story

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

On the outside this film is just fine. It has an okay plot, albeit very predictable and unoriginal. However it lacks the excitement, shocking moments, tension and claustrophobic atmosphere of similar films, such as Misery.The film is very boring. It does not have enough twists and moments of excitement to merit being a feature length film. The film also lacks energy and actually feels very tiring to watch. It also lacks atmosphere. Altough the entire film has a feeling of tension, largely due to its score, it does not have enough moments of sudden action to really engrose the viewer. The characters are poorly presented and lack any sort of motivation. The relationship between Nicole Kidman as nd hi sd husbdnd is not given enough time at the start and as a result the viewer never really cares asbout what happens at the end. The villain isnt introduced properly either and he does not seem to have any clear motivation.The actors are lazy and unconvincing. None of them are in any well memorable. All in all, this film is a terrific bore. Do not watch.

Greetings again from the darkness. For years, I considered this one of my favorite guilty pleasures; however, I now realize just how unfair that label is. After nearly 30 years, this arm-rest-gripping thriller from director Phillip Noyce (CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, RABBIT-PROOF FENCE, THE QUIET American) deserves respect as a well made (except for the ending), well written and well acted film. It proves that two boats may not be enough for three people.Terry Hayes adapted the screenplay from the 1963 Charles Williams novel, and the production team, including George Miller, is behind the Mad Max franchise. Cinematographer Dean Semler won an Oscar a couple of years later with DANCES WITH WOLVES, and his eye brings us some terrific shots … none better than an early view of both boats and an expanse of sea.Of course the film is best known for showcasing a young up-and- coming actress named Nicole Kidman. She began her career at age 16 and was 21 when this one was filmed. Her youthful features have yet to make way for the mature and stunning woman we know today. The following year she appeared in DAYS OF THUNDER, kicking off her Tom Cruise era. In the quarter century since, Ms. Kidman has reached the pinnacle of the acting profession and is a four time Oscar nominee, winning for THE HOURS. She has never shied away from tough or controversial roles, and has recently excelled in THE BEGUILED and THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER. Earlier this year she won an Emmy for her challenging role in "Big Little Lies". Ms. Kidman's role here is as Rae, a mother entertaining her young son by singing "Eensy Weensy Spider" as she drives through a torrential storm that would eventually cause the accident that tragically kills the boy. Soon Rae and her military officer husband John (Sam Neill) are off on a rehabilitation trip aboard their sailing yacht . Their peaceful time together is interrupted as they spot a stalled schooner off in the distance, and a man frantically rowing a skiff towards them. They help a dazed and profusely sweating Hughie (Billy Zane) on board as he explains how the other passengers on The Orpheus all died from botulism. When John goes to check out The Orpheus, Hughie commandeers the yacht from Rae and heads off leaving John seemingly helpless on the sinking vessel. What follows is some extraordinary tension and psychological gamesmanship that keeps us enthralled with the three characters. The juxtaposition between the two boats is fascinating. As John's resourcefulness meticulously brings the dying Orpheus back to life, Rae and Hughie are involved in a mental chess match of life and death between a sociopath and a mother in mourning. There is also a creative manner in which John (and viewers) picks up some of the bleak backstory casting doubt on Hughie's tale.Sam Neill was in his early 40's, and this was four years before his Dr. Grant took the tour of JURASSIC PARK. In 1988 he had portrayed Meryl Streep's husband in A CRY IN THE DARK, and recently his strong, silent persona has been key to the success of HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE (one of last year's best) and TV's "Peaky Blinders". Billy Zane, age 22 at the time of filming, makes a wonderfully frenetic entrance in the film. He met his wife Lisa Collins on this shoot - she's one of the unfortunate Orpheus passengers. He has also enjoyed a long and consistent career, with his most recognizable roles being from TOMBSTONE (1993) and of course as Rose's jealous fiancé in TITANIC (1997). His cameos in the ZOOLANDER movies are legendary in comedy, and now in his 50's, Mr. Zane remains extremely busy as an actor. The tagline for the movie: "When you are in the middle of nowhere, there's nowhere to hide" is terrific, and the confines of a boat at sea set the stage for a life lesson – sometimes you just have to fight. Orson Welles worked on his version of the film for years, but the project was never finished. Instead, director Phillip Noyce and three excellent actors deliver a taut thriller that keeps our palms sweaty … at least right up until that ghastly ending that somehow leaves me annoyed and laughing in frustration.

Despite its age, I still see DEAD CALM as a pretty definitive seafaring thriller. To be more precise, it's a psychological thriller, one of many that were all the rage back in the late '80s and early '90s: FATAL ATTRACTION kick-started the sub genre, and there were many interesting choices along the way. For me, the two pinnacles of the genre are this film and THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE.The plot is deceptively simple, making use of just three actors. There's a loving couple, traumatised by events of the recent past, and a mysterious stranger hiding dark secrets. What follows is a hold-your-breath tense thrill-ride packed with twists and life-or-death situations. I loved the eerily isolated backdrop and director Phillip Noyce – who's made a career of edgy, dark filmmaking – makes perfect use of a small yacht to imprison his lead characters. The acting is also fine, which is a plus as if it hadn't been this film would have lost a lot of its charisma. Sam Neill is the sterling, never-give-up hero, and Billy Zane excels as the genuinely frightening psychopath, always retaining a hint of sympathy about him. But the film belongs to Nicole Kidman, who stars as the grieving woman forced to become a warrior to save both her husband's life and her own.Although I'm not a big fan of Kidman, I believe this to be one of her best performances, and it's hard to fault. She's fragile and gutsy, weak and powerful, all in the same breath, and watching her cat-and-mouse antics with Zane is what suspenseful filmmaking is all about. DEAD CALM is a classic thriller thanks to its pure simplicity.

This is a gripping movie starring Nicole Kidman and Sam Niell as Rae and John Ingram, who sets sail to the Pacific Ocean and come across a near-deserted yacht boarded by Hughie Warriner (Billy Zane). After John discovers the yacht's horrible secret, Hughie kidnaps Rae and takes over and her husband's boat, leaving John stranded and Rae struggling to take back control of their boat.With believable acting and intense drama, this is a thrilling movie from start to finish. Terry Hayes wrote a great screenplay and Phillip Noyce got some great direction going, keeping the movie full of surprises and the plot's momentum going strong from beginning to end.This movie is edge-of-your excitement that makes you glued to the screen, wondering how our protagonists are going to survive their ordeal. It's gripping fun.Grade B+