Dead Calm (1989)

Director: Phillip Noyce

Starring: Sam Neill, Nicole Kidman, Billy Zane

More info: IMDb

Tagline: A Voyage Into Fear.

Plot: A married couple sail the Pacific Ocean to forget a tragic accident. After a month at sea, they sight a mysterious yacht and are boarded by its lone surviving crew member. When the husband discovers the yacht's terrible secret, the crewman goes wild, kidnapping his wife and taking his ship. Terror on the high seas is center stage as the husband fights to keep the mystery yacht afloat and his wife battles the psychotic who's assumed control of their ship.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

I remembered this being good but not THIS good! It's an excellent thriller with solid performances from all three leads (Zane makes a surprisingly good psychopath). There's a good deal of suspense and everyone's actions are pretty much what you think someone in that situation would do. The camera work is fantastic and there are shots that are so smooth (like circling a yacht while it's moving that seem too goo to be done without the help of some digital effects or something but this is before all of that came around. Director Noyce turned in a top notch flick. I'm impressed.