The book is based on the popular non-fiction book by Sebastian Junger that details the events of the 1991 Halloween storm. The movie does an excellent job of adapting the book, leaving out things of little interest to movie goers and tightening the story a bit to make it flow better on screen. The real reason to see this movie is the spectacle of this monster of a storm. The special effects are absolutely top notch. It is exceedingly easy to believe that this was filmed at sea in the midst of a massive storm.
Huge waves toss small ships around like they are nothing.
Large ships are pushed around like toys. The simple act of going out on deck becomes potentially deadly. The scenes within the storm are well worth the price of admission alone. The movie is greatly enjoyable and creates real tension. Having read the book I already knew the outcome but was still pulled along by movie.