Dead Calm
Seen it?1989 | 96 min | Thriller, Drama, Horror
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (84% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest, despite a box office loss. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing and horror fans. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Scary.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 36 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
An Australian couple takes a sailing trip in the Pacific to get over the recent loss of their son. While on the open sea, they come across a sinking ship with one survivor who is not at all what he seems.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
84% on Rotten Tomatoes, 70 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.5 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
5 wins and 6 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
- Box office & staying powerWeak
$8 million worldwide on a $10 million budget
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 233K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Phillip Noyce
- Nicole KidmanRae Ingram
- Sam NeillJohn Ingram
- Billy ZaneHughie Warriner
- George ShevtsovDoctor
- Rod MullinarRussell Bellows
- Joshua TildenDanny
- Michael LongSpecialist Doctor
- Lisa Collins'Orpheus' Cruise Girl
- Paula Hudson-Brinkley'Orpheus' Cruise Girl
- Sharon Cook'Orpheus' Cruise Girl