A straightforward but tautly-sprung cast-of-three thriller, as a married couple (Sam Neill, Nicole Kidman) take a long cruise on their yacht to recover from personal tragedy.

They run slap-bang into a homicidal maniac (Billy Zane) who, unknown to them, has flipped his lid during a round-the-world sailing trip and murdered the other five people on board.

While a suspicious Neill boards the other vessel and discovers the grisly truth, the maniac seizes his chance - despite Kidman's best physical and mental efforts - to make off with Neill's craft.

The rest of the movie is a careering cliffhanger, low on credibility but high in tension and excitement.

The plum role goes to the girl here and Kidman does it proud, completely convincing us of her new-found mental resilience after a near breakdown.

Zane is thoroughly menacing and Neill grim-faced and 'dead calm' throughout, although he probably has the least to do.

The ending is inevitably protracted to a final confrontation after the killer has seemingly been dispatched for good, so hold tight to your armchairs.