The Perfect Storm (DVD)

Wolfgang Petersen's screen adaptation of Sebastian Junger's semi-fictional book about the loss of a fishing vessel and its crew during one of the biggest storms for decades seen off the coast of the US. In the autumn of 1991 the Andrea Gail leaves the port of Gloucester, Massachusetts, never to be seen again. Heading out to the fishing waters of the Flemish Cap in search of swordfish, Captain Billy Tyne (George Clooney) and his crew soon find themselves overtaken by a massive storm, one which taxes their courage to the very limit. Focusing mainly on the adventures of the Andrea Gail, but also taking in the attempts of a rescue helicopter to rescue the crew of an ailing sailboat, Wolfgang Petersen's film uses impressive state-of-the-art effects to present a vivid account of the storm's awesome, destructive power.