I hate movies with stupid heroes. The Fugitive - now that was a movie - you had a smart hero and a smart quasi-villain. In Dead Calm, Nicole Kidman plays a smart heroine who makes a series of very stupid decisions, each of which
advances the plot in some necessary way. Stupidity as a plot device is lazy screenwriting and it really frustrates me. Um, why don't you call the police? Um, maybe you shouldn't split up? Um, why not lock the door? Um, you
probably shouldn't walk right past the body in case he's not really dead. You know the rest. This movie is filled with ridiculous decisions that lead to disaster. That said, this is a well-directed and well-acted film that delivers on suspense and claustrophia. I remember Nicole Kidman from when I first saw this film. As a result, I have never been able to understand how she transcended B-movie
scream queen and became a mega-star. Nor can I understand how Billy Zane
got so firmly typecast in this kind of villainous role. Sam Neill I get, because, well, he has no charisma, which makes him the perfect cuckold. All in all, a day at sea, lonely, scared and frustrated is a decent way to spend a cold night, so this is actually worth seeing. But I hate stupid heroes, and I bet you will too.
advances the plot in some necessary way. Stupidity as a plot device is lazy screenwriting and it really frustrates me. Um, why don't you call the police? Um, maybe you shouldn't split up? Um, why not lock the door? Um, you
probably shouldn't walk right past the body in case he's not really dead. You know the rest. This movie is filled with ridiculous decisions that lead to disaster. That said, this is a well-directed and well-acted film that delivers on suspense and claustrophia. I remember Nicole Kidman from when I first saw this film. As a result, I have never been able to understand how she transcended B-movie
scream queen and became a mega-star. Nor can I understand how Billy Zane
got so firmly typecast in this kind of villainous role. Sam Neill I get, because, well, he has no charisma, which makes him the perfect cuckold. All in all, a day at sea, lonely, scared and frustrated is a decent way to spend a cold night, so this is actually worth seeing. But I hate stupid heroes, and I bet you will too.