I found Dead Calm to be a highly entertaining suspense-thriller film. It did drag a bit near the end, and is somewhat predictable, but the strong performances and interesting plot kept me hooked till the end.

Picture:
The Dead Calm DVD gives the viewer two choices for watching the film: 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen or 1.33:1 full frame. The picture quality leaves something to be desired though. The picture contains some shimmer here and there, but the biggest drawback is the overwhelming amount of grain present, especially in a few scenes where it is extremely distracting. The colors during these scenes are often muted and dull. These problem areas mostly occur inside the ships, as most of the scenes shot outdoors are simply breathtaking to see, with vibrant colors and little to no defects.

Sound:
Dead Calm contains both an English and a French Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround track. The surround is very good for 2.0 and is fairly well utilized. The score is terrific and very vital in creating a suspenseful mood; however, I couldn't help but think how much better it would sound in 5.1. The dialogue is also a sore spot: many times the characters lines are inaudible or muted even at higher volumes, making the included subtitles a necessity to catch all the story.

Extras:
Optional English and French subtitles are included, as well as the original theatrical trailer in anamorphic widescreen and mono sound.

Summary:
Dead Calm is a terrific film that most any fan of the genre will thoroughly enjoy. However, since the DVD is lacking in both picture and sound quality, I recommend only renting it, instead of a purchase. Hopefully Warner will release a remastered version of it soon.