Dead Calm

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Dead Calm

R

1989

1h 36m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

31 Reviews

63%

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25,000+ Ratings

Rae Ingram (Nicole Kidman) and her husband, John (Sam Neill), struggle to overcome the sudden death of their young son. In an attempt to move past their loss, the couple take their yacht out for an extended vacation trip. While far out at sea, they come across a sinking schooner and rescue the ship's sole survivor, Hughie Warriner (Billy Zane). Hughie claims the crew of the ship died from food poisoning. Though Rae is empathetic towards Hughie, John is suspicious of his story.

Critics Consensus

Nicole Kidman's coiled intensity and muscular direction by Phillip Noyce give this nautical thriller a disquieting sense of dread.

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Variety Staff

Variety

10/18/2008

Though not always entirely credible, Dead Calm is a nail-biting suspense pic [from the novel by Charles Williams] handsomely produced and inventively directed.

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Nigel Floyd

Time Out

01/26/2006

A classic piece of pared-down genre film-making is lent extra depth by an emotional subtext stressing Kidman's transition from dependent wife to resourceful individual.

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Caryn James

New York Times

05/20/2003

"Dead Calm" ... becomes disturbing for all the wrong reasons.

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

01/22/2024

7/10

It is a tightly wound and wonderfully suspenseful work, making use of an extremely limited cast and cleverly exploiting its setting to maximum effect.

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

06/24/2022

Dead Calm is not particularly original, but it is well made. [Full review in Spanish]

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Tim Brayton

Alternate Ending

07/02/2020

3.5/5

The best kind of shabby little shocker.

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Scott R

@ScottR Oct 5

NYT 1000 movies list. This character study of a couple on a boat in the ocean who come across a crazy man leaving a haunted boat makes for some tense drama. However, it doesn't always deliver despite awesome performances. SLC DVD.

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Dustin P.

@Dustinpete86 Sep 30

Thought it was very good, main character made some questionable decisions but well worth the watch

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Barry E

@RT17574642 Jun 29

Normally I wouldn't summarize a movie with one word, but this one deserves an exception: stupid.

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Shaun R

@Shaun666 Jun 20

Great thriller. It’s quiet and atmospheric. Stranded at sea with a psycho makes for a great movie if done right. This is done right.

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Stoner J

@Stoner Jun 4

The best at-sea thriller ever made! So intense. And all the actors did phenomenal work here

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Charles B

@RT06707107 05/13/2025

I saw this movie when it came out, it was I'm thinking eerie at best and a whole lot of damn. If Ever get to free, I'll definitely watch it......

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Phillip Noyce

Director

Sam Neill

John Ingram

Nicole Kidman

Rae Ingram

Billy Zane

Hughie Warriner

Rod Mullinar

Russell Bellows

Michael Long

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Synopsis

Rae Ingram (Nicole Kidman) and her husband, John (Sam Neill), struggle to overcome the sudden death of their young son. In an attempt to move past their loss, the couple take their yacht out for an extended vacation trip. While far out at sea, they come across a sinking schooner and rescue the ship's sole survivor, Hughie Warriner (Billy Zane). Hughie claims the crew of the ship died from food poisoning. Though Rae is empathetic towards Hughie, John is suspicious of his story.

Director: Phillip Noyce
Producer: Terry Hayes, George Miller, Doug Mitchell
Screenwriter: Terry Hayes, Charles Williams
Distributor: Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers, Kennedy Miller Productions
Rating: R, TV-MA
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Australian English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 7, 1989, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $7.0M
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Surround