# Dead Sea (film)
**Dead Sea** is a 2024 American survival horror thriller written and directed by Phil Volken, in which a young woman and her friends, stranded at sea after a fatal jet ski accident, are rescued by a fishing trawler captain who turns out to be working with an organ-harvesting operation.[1](https://www.digitaljournal.com/article/alexander-wraith-talks-about-dead-sea-movie-francesca-eastwood-and-future-projects/) • [2](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/dead-sea-0) It was released in the United States on July 26, 2024, by Vertical Entertainment.[3](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/dead-sea/qhj3VE1snXxGrJffssFmt6/where-to-watch/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writer | Phil Volken (also a producer)[1](https://www.digitaljournal.com/article/alexander-wraith-talks-about-dead-sea-movie-francesca-eastwood-and-future-projects/) • [4](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/dead-sea/qhj3VE1snXxGrJffssFmt6/credits/) |
| Release | July 26, 2024, theatrical and digital, in the US[3](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/dead-sea/qhj3VE1snXxGrJffssFmt6/where-to-watch/) |
| Distributor | Vertical Entertainment (VOD/streaming)[5](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/dead-sea-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdiyote2) |
| Runtime | About 88 minutes; the BBFC lists the home version at 88m 47s and the Australian classification at 87 minutes[5](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/dead-sea-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdiyote2) • [2](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/dead-sea-0) |
| Main cast | Isabel Gravitt (Kaya Adams), Alexander Wraith (Rey), Dean Cameron (Curtis Hunt), Garrett Wareing (Julian), Genneya Walton (Tessa Miles), Koa Tom (Xander)[4](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/dead-sea/qhj3VE1snXxGrJffssFmt6/credits/) |
| Alternative title | Flycatcher; the Apple TV listing carries the © 2023 Flycatcher LLC copyright[2](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/dead-sea-0) • [6](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/dead-sea/umc.cmc.58u5dv8ccdod1zt2qt9tzbest) |
| Reception | Rotten Tomatoes lists no critic reviews on the Tomatometer and a 28% audience score from 50+ ratings[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dead_sea) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
The story follows four teenagers, Kaya, Tessa, Xander, and Julian, on a jet ski day trip from the [Florida Keys](https://www.edgepedia.org/florida-keys) to the Bahamas. After a day of cave diving, a jet ski collision kills Julian and leaves Kaya, Tessa, and the gravely injured Xander stranded in the open sea.[2](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/dead-sea-0)
Their rescue by Rey, the seemingly benevolent captain of a fishing trawler, turns sinister when he sedates the survivors and confines them to the fish hold of his vessel. Rey steers the trawler toward a luxury yacht owned by Dr. Curtis Hunt, known as "Doc," a Miami surgeon who traffics migrants and harvests organs for wealthy clients.[2](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/dead-sea-0) The British Board of Film Classification's advice describes sustained threat as the captives are held before being operated on to remove their organs, and a discovery that young girls are being sold by a trafficking ring.[5](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/dead-sea-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdiyote2)
## Production and release
Phil Volken wrote, directed, and produced the film, with Helge Gerull as cinematographer and Gad Emile Zeitune composing the score.[4](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/dead-sea/qhj3VE1snXxGrJffssFmt6/credits/) [The Australian](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-australian) classification records Del Rey Films as the production company, with Nicholas Davidoff, Cameron Fuller, and Rick Montgomery credited as producers.[2](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/dead-sea-0) Alexander Wraith, who plays Rey, described the shoot as grueling, saying the cast and crew were "out on the water the whole time."[1](https://www.digitaljournal.com/article/alexander-wraith-talks-about-dead-sea-movie-francesca-eastwood-and-future-projects/)
The film opened in US theaters and on digital platforms on July 26, 2024.[3](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/dead-sea/qhj3VE1snXxGrJffssFmt6/where-to-watch/) The BBFC classified the VOD/streaming version on July 23, 2024, with Vertical Entertainment as distributor.[5](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/dead-sea-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdiyote2)
## Classification and content
Censors rated the film restrictively in its main markets. The BBFC gave it an adult-oriented rating for "strong threat," citing the captivity and organ-removal sequences, stabbings, a harpoon gun, a [flare gun](https://www.edgepedia.org/flare-gun) fired into a person's face, and infrequent strong language.[5](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/dead-sea-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdiyote2) Australia's Classification Board rated it MA 15+ for "strong themes and violence" on November 25, 2024.[2](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/dead-sea-0) In the United States, Tubi carries it with a TV-MA rating.[8](https://tubitv.com/movies/100065316/dead-sea)
## Reception and availability
Critical coverage was sparse: Rotten Tomatoes recorded zero reviews on its Tomatometer, with an audience score of 28% from more than 50 ratings.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dead_sea) Aggregated user ratings sit in the mid range, at 5.2 on IMDb (about 6,400 votes) and 6.3 on TMDB-based listings.[9](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/dead-sea-2024) • [10](https://filmoveplatno.cz/film/dead-sea) A review site covering the horror genre described it as a slow-burn survival horror that is tense and sometimes brutal rather than a pure scare ride.[11](https://thehorrordatabase.com/like/dead-sea)
Streaming availability varies by country. In the United States it streams on Hulu and can be rented or bought on Fandango at Home.[12](https://www.wherecaniwatch.tv/watch/dead-sea-2024-1308757) It is on Netflix in 23 countries but not the US, and on Prime Video in 11 countries including the UK, Canada, and Australia; in the UK it also streams on Paramount+.[13](https://www.flickfinder.net/movie/dead-sea-2024-1308757)
## References
1. [Alexander Wraith talks about 'Dead Sea' movie, Francesca Eastwood, and future projects, Digital Journal (September 11, 2024)](https://www.digitaljournal.com/article/alexander-wraith-talks-about-dead-sea-movie-francesca-eastwood-and-future-projects/)
2. [Dead Sea, Australian Classification](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/dead-sea-0)
3. [Dead Sea: Where to Watch, Moviefone](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/dead-sea/qhj3VE1snXxGrJffssFmt6/where-to-watch/)
4. [Dead Sea Cast & Crew, Moviefone](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/dead-sea/qhj3VE1snXxGrJffssFmt6/credits/)
5. [Dead Sea, British Board of Film Classification](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/dead-sea-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdiyote2)
6. [Dead Sea, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/dead-sea/umc.cmc.58u5dv8ccdod1zt2qt9tzbest)
7. [Dead Sea, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dead_sea)
8. [Watch Dead Sea (2024), Tubi](https://tubitv.com/movies/100065316/dead-sea)
9. [Dead Sea (2024), JustWatch UK](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/dead-sea-2024)
10. [Dead Sea (2024), Filmové plátno](https://filmoveplatno.cz/film/dead-sea)
11. [Movies like Dead Sea (2024), The Horror Database](https://thehorrordatabase.com/like/dead-sea)
12. [Watch Dead Sea (2024) Online, WhereCanIWatch.tv](https://www.wherecaniwatch.tv/watch/dead-sea-2024-1308757)
13. [Where to watch Dead Sea (2024), FlickFinder](https://www.flickfinder.net/movie/dead-sea-2024-1308757)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Horror films (individual works) › Survival and disaster horror films*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license