Rae Ingram and her husband, John, 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. But the trip turns worse and worse when a mass murderer kidnaps and seduces Rae after leaving John to die on the vessel whose crew he has just slaughtered.
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.
[Noyce is] a masterful manipulator, but eventually there is no more wind in these sails, not even enough to riffle a jib, as the story and Rae's character wear thin.
One of the best thrillers of our time....it'll leave your gasping for air
Variety
October 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.