Poseidon (2006) User Reviews

Not bad at all, there have been worse remakes....

[jmupton2003 · 6/10 · 21 May 2007]

Whilst not holding a candle to the far superior original in terms of script, plot and acting, this remake of the classic 1972 'The Poseidon Adventure' is at least watchable which is more than can be said for a lot of the seemingly endless tide of remakes hitting cinemas these days.

The characters (for want of a better word) are a bit thin and cardboard and the plot really is just a long string of reasonably predictable set pieces but at least it entertains. The best bit is the special effects which are absolutely top drawer. For some reason Hollywood can do some really good FX and CGI when it comes to boats and the CGI rendition of the Poseidon itself in the opening scene is incredibly well done.

Top marks also to the Producers for making sure the Poseidon is a proper British flagged Southampton registered ship and not some Americanised tub.

Much like its predecessor though I fully expect this version to become stable Bank Holiday afternoon television filler material for the next twenty years. Just a pity a remake of 'Beyond the Poseidon Adventure' can't be done from this.

Thrilling with excellent visuals.

[paulclaassen · 6/10 · 13 March 2022]

Although 'Poseidon' was not all that well received, I actually enjoyed it more than the original, highly acclaimed 'The Poseidon Adventure' (of which 'Poseidon' is a remake), which I found too comical and unbelievable despite its good cast.

'Poseidon' is an action adventure survival thriller, with the focus on the survival element. It doesn't spend much time on character introductions and jumps right into the chaos, so we get to know the characters once their quest for survival begins. Excellent visual effects and a fantastic production design help bring this film to life, making it realistic and conceivable. The capsize scene, especially, was incredibly well done.

The film does follow the same pattern as most disaster films of this genre, with stereotypical characters, and it's always easy to spot the dispensable ones. Essentially, this is a slasher movie - just a different kind of slasher. Due to the film's short running time (94 minutes), it is fast-paced and entertaining throughout and doesn't waste a minute of screen time.

The film features a stellar cast, but I don't think I would have cared who the actors were, as the story was interesting enough and well executed. It is a nail-biter with one primary focus: survival. In my humble opinion, the film succeeded in that aspect. I've watched the movie a few times and enjoy it every time. 'Poseidon' is a disaster movie that delivers.

A 'Bad' movie can still be fun to watch

[Flagrant-Baronessa · 6/10 · 3 August 2006]

Especially one that sinks Titanic in special effects...

This is a remake of The Poseidon Adventure (1972). Before you jump on the bandwagon and start bashing it on this basis alone, keep it mind that the original film was not exactly a masterpiece. It was a film that sacrificed scientific reality to propel an inane plot, filled with one-dimensional characters and compensated for it with action-overload. Poseidon is exactly the same -- ridiculous plot, intrepid characters and big slice of adventure. What is different in this version is the masterful CGI. This is a perfect time to remake a film like this (much better than in 1972) -- just go overboard with special effects and no one will notice the flawed writing (which is basically a sketchbook mess).

This is the reason Poseidon does not fail in entertaining the audience. I'll admit that I was skeptical when Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas appeared in all her plastic surgery glory and Josh Lucas spouted out some cheeseball line ("Where is the disco?" "Why, you feel like dancing now?"), but I set its cringeworthy dialogue aside early on and focused my energy on not wanting to kill Fergie. The giant tidal wave capsizing the luxury liner Poseidon would take care of that, leaving only a small group of people fighting to reach the top and get out.

Another thing, besides special effects, that is by far better in this version is that the characters are actually interested in surviving and do not stop every few minutes for a petty argument as in The Poseidon Adventure (1972). Make no mistake however, these characters are still dumb to the core, getting by on lucky circumstances, occasional heroic feats and conveniently appearing objects and hatches – you've seen it all before, but damn, this is sensationally quality action.

Overall, Poseidon is bathed in a militantly hectic mood and is as fast-paced as any action film you'll see. It features mind-numbing special effects, overdoses of excitement and just typical Wolfgang Peterson overkill. It definitely won't disappoint you if you're looking for cheap but solid adrenaline kicks. I'd even happily sit through this experience again.

6.5/10

Not a total disaster.

[BA_Harrison · 6/10 · 16 June 2007]

Watch carefully... immediately after the luxury liner Poseidon has been hit by a huge tidal wave and capsized, an inflated life-raft can be seen inexplicably floating by the upturned vessel. Surely the makers of this slick big-budget disaster flick won't bring this conveniently into play at the end of the film, will they? Well, yes, they do. And this is the problem with Poseidon: throughout the film, the audience is expected to accept far too much without question.

When the survivors of the accident, on their way to the surface, face a flooded compartment, they swim underwater aimlessly until they happen upon a pocket of air. Convenient, huh?

When they are trapped in a rapidly flooding air conditioning shaft and need to undo some screws in order to escape drowning, a necklace makes a handy screwdriver. How fortunate is that?

When the only escape route is totally flooded, the ship shifts and the passageway becomes clear. What a stroke of luck!

Now don't get me wrong; I didn't hate Poseidon. In fact, I actually enjoyed Wolfgang Pieterson's update of the 70s classic quite a bit. I just had to completely suspend my belief for an hour and a half in order to do so. Sure, the film is cheesy, full of one-dimensional characters, has a flawed script, and lacks a soul, but it is spectacular, has more than its fair share of white-knuckle moments, and features some superb visual effects.

Let's face it, this remake was never going to outdo the original (and did anyone really think it would?), which benefited from REAL star power and a decent script. But as far as dumb popcorn adventures go, Poseidon is worth a watch-if only for the amazing moment when the wave strikes the ship and all hell breaks loose.

Poseidon (2006)

[robfollower · 6/10 · 16 August 2020]

The remake plays it straight. The original five Oscar winners, including Gene Hackman and Shelley Winters. Are missed here .The remake has only one: Richard Dreyfuss as a gay passenger contemplating suicide. Petersen's stripped-down version jettisons the old script in favor of one by Mark Protosevich that invents new characters and scales their sob stories for short attention spans. Kurt Russell does the stalwart-hero honors as Robert Ramsey, a former mayor of New York who was once a firefighter and is now traveling with his hottie daughter (Emmy Rossum) and her boyfriend (Mike Vogel), hoping they won't have sex, at least not in front of him. That's a lot of baggage for a character to carry when they could have just outfitted Russell with an eye patch, called him Snake Plissken and titled the film Escape From the North Atlantic.

Josh Lucas has the most colorful role, as Dylan Johns, a professional gambler who hits on a young mom (Jacinda Barrett) vacationing with her son (Jimmy Bennett). The rest is spotting familiar faces from TV: That stowaway is Mia Maestro, from Alias, she is gorgeous so that helps.

Director Wolfgang Petersen has the credentials to do a remake of the movie, based on a novel by Paul Gallico. Given that he's got his feet wet enough with Das Boot and The Perfect Storm, and enough experience helming big budgeted summer movies like Air Force One and Troy, however, what's the point of a remake? Perhaps it's for the action sequences, to see how far time has brought us with an update of stunt techniques . You'll end up entertained if you forgive the cliches and let Petersen grab you with the visuals, from the avalanche of water in the ballroom to the eerie sight of a flooded crawl space where wires take on the form of deadly tentacles. You don't expect a remake to spring surprises. This film has a few up its sleeve. Decent summer popcorn flick .

Another remake misfires

[ExpendableMan · 4/10 · 13 December 2006]

It all starts off so well too. The opening shot of Wolfgang Petersen's Poseidon is beautiful. A single take that begins beneath the surface of the ocean that swings up and out of it as the underside of the ship slices through the waves, before pivoting round the colossal cruise liner and zeroing in on Josh Lucas running on the deck. With the sun setting in the distance and the immense size of the vessel itself contrasted with the deep blue of the water, this is a visually astounding entrance to a movie that is unfortunately very shallow indeed.

A remake of the classic disaster movie The Poseidon Adventure, this tells much the same story with a small group of passengers trying to escape a doomed ocean liner after it capsizes due to a freak wave. Given the beloved status of the original, besting it was going to be tricky from the start so how to do it? Bestow the characters with as much depth and humanity as possible, arrange it so that you don't want any of them to die just as the original film did? No. That isn't the 21st Century Studio Approach to blockbusters at all, the trick is explosions! Lots of explosions! And dangerous stunts that happen in very quick succession with no set up whatsoever.

As a result, things happen very quickly. We've hardly got to know anyone on the ship before the wave strikes and sends their world tumbling upside down in a hail of glass and debris. Trapped beneath the waves, there is no debate on the best means of survival but instead a bull headed rush to escape as soon as possible and before you know it, barely any time has elapsed before we have our luckless nobodies dangling from lift shafts, diving through burning oil slicks or scrambling up air vents rapidly filling with water. This could all be very entertaining if it wasn't so empty and if only they'd eased back on the throttle a little bit, we could have had a much more successful film.

Kurt Russell for instance is wasted. As an ex firefighter and former Mayor of New York with a failed marriage behind him, they could have crafted the image of a troubled man going through a midlife crisis who finds himself tested beyond his limits. Instead, the only hints at any characterisation are him protesting his daughter's cleavage bearing dress to leave no doubt that theirs is a strained relationship. Then there is Richard Dreyfuss (who has finally found a bigger boat), whose character might as well be listed in the credits as "depressed, elderly gay man." Everyone else is just as vacuous and while Josh Lucas is certainly a charismatic focal point, it cannot make up for the two dimensional stereotypes of Kevin Dillon's gambler Lucky Larry or Mike Vogel's performance as Christian, the fiancée of Russell's daughter who manages to put in perhaps the worst attempt at acting you will see in a blockbuster this year.

It does have a few commendable points though. One death scene involving a lift shaft, jagged metal spikes and an explosion is an adrenaline pumping crowd pleaser and the aforementioned scramble through the flooding ventilation shaft is really quite tense, the ensemble cast squeezed together in a claustrophobic nightmare as the water bubbles up around them. Ultimately though, it is not enough to save it. Poseidon may make for a diverting hour and a half but Hollywood needs to learn a valuable lesson about plotting: bigger explosions and insane stunts are nowhere near as impressive if we don't care about the people involved. The original version made an entire generation terrified of getting on a boat with Ernest Borgnine, this is just laughable.

It is like 'Titanic' meets 'The Towering Inferno'

[Movieguy_blogs_com · 6/10 · 10 May 2006]

In 'Poseidon' Josh Lucas plays Dylan Johns, a professional gambler. When a freak 'rogue wave' incident causes the Poseidon cruise ship to capsize, Dylan has gamble for his life. Deciding not to listen to the captain (Andre Braugher), Dylan tries leads a group of passengers (Kurt Russell, Richard Dreyfuss, Emmy Rossum, etc.) to safety.

This is a modern remake of the 1972 'The Poseidon Adventure'. I do not remember the original, but I think this one live up to its name. It is like 'Titanic' meets 'The Towering Inferno'. There is a lot of intense action that keeps one on the edge of their seat.

There is not much drama and I do not think it will add too much to the original story. I also noticed that the movie is just over an hour and a half, it is not very long. However, I think audiences will enjoy the intensity of this film.

This ship has sailed ... and sunk ...

[majikstl · 2/10 · 14 May 2006]

In the original POSEIDON ADVENTURE, the venerable SS Poseidon was on its last voyage, even before it had a wave of bad luck. Headed to port to be turned to scrap, the aging luxury liner was comfortably aged and loaded down with a bunch of amiable B-list movie stars playing rather endearingly ordinary people. POSEIDON, the remake, is apparently far from being on its last leg; sparkling new and lavishly decorated in nondescript, tasteless elegance, it is carrying a passenger list of dubious VIPs, who don't even have enough dimension to be clichés and are played by actors, who, though competent, would barely even rate being on the B-list.

But it does seem to have a healthy cargo of things that blow up. Indeed, it seems that more of the unfortunate victims of this seagoing disaster meet fiery deaths than watery ones -- explosions being far more photogenic than the inability to hold ones breath for very long.

POSEIDON the new movie is very much like Poseidon the new ship: cold, efficient, impersonal and doomed to sink like a rock. The most remarkable thing about this SS Poseidon is that it has a huge bridge full of technicians and flashing electronic gizmos, yet the 150-foot tidal wave that flips the boat sneaks up on everyone without warning. Apparently the wave spotting equipment they use is from the same company that created iceberg detecting equipment for the Titanic. Indeed, the first person to spot the tidal wave is a passenger played by a strangely subdued Richard Dreyfuss, whose impromptu suicide attempt is rudely interrupted.

The movie itself is pretty much an empty vessel, though it is certainly a product of its time. Trivial concerns such as story and character are jettisoned in favor of elaborate and expensive sets and CGI special effects. Indeed, the imagery of the new POSEIDON is most impressive and outshines the then-cutting edge productions values of the 1972 original. Yet, it isn't nearly as effective in any regard. The original film had its ragtag band of survivalists interacting with their topsy-turvy environment, where this time the stunts and sets and CGI simply overwhelm everything and everybody. Like so many CGI blockbusters, human interaction is merely a bothersome detail; the real focus being on the violent extermination of masses of nameless, faceless victims. And once again, Hollywood has mistaken technological gimmickry for storytelling skill.

When the film does try to escape from tired predictability it bites off far more than it can chew. At one point a main character is compelled to kill another character in order to save himself, yet this intense and perverse moment early in the film is never dealt with again. The surviving character must neither redeem himself or face karmic punishment for his act. The secondary character is just killed and forgotten -- presumably because the character and the actor playing the part weren't important enough to care about. After that, it is hard to care about the fate of anyone else. The film has no sense of humanity, let alone a sense of humor about the absurdity of the entire premise.

The cast, not unduly burdened with characters to play or chances to actually act, run the obstacle course with dogged professionalism. Kurt Russell is no Gene Hackman, but he is in the unfortunate position of being too good of an actor for this type of film, yet not big enough of a star to actually carry it. Young Jimmy Bennet is perfectly convincing as a terrified child and Josh Lucas has an impressive underbite perfectly suited for jutting out his chin in fierce determination. Other than that, the cast is unremarkable, sadly lacking even any Carol Lynleys or Pamela Sue Martins, let alone such wonderfully hammy pros like Roddy McDowall, Stella Stevens, Ernest Borgnine or the inimitable Shelley Winters. None of the characters/actors stand out enough to be sympathetic, endearing or even memorable. Indeed, the three female leads -- Jacinda Barrett, Emmy Rossum and Mía Maestro -- are so interchangeable that it is hard to tell their characters apart.

I suppose that the filmmakers wanted this to be like the remake of KING KONG, an eye-popping, special effects reinvention of a well-worn story. But, instead, POSEIDON ends up being like the woefully unnecessary remake of PSYCHO: there was no need, demand or purpose for this film to exist and the filmmakers reveal they have no apparent clue as to why the original is loved in the first place. That's what happens when you set sail without a compass; you just get lost at sea.

solid albeit flawed survival disaster flick, good performances and characters once the adventure starts

[jdring2007 · 7/10 · 11 April 2022]

I went in expecting the least, but was pleasantly surprised by a handful of qualities the movie had to offer. Once you get past your formulaic introduction of characters, which honestly felt gratituous by the movie's end, the high-end production played its cards right, showing off some solid CGI in bursts, and relying more on the people to carry the tension. Not to mention Josh Lucas as the lead, laudably so, with Kurt Russell co-piloting the adventure, engaging as usual. Most of the drama was pretty meh to me and my biggest gripe revolves around a certain plot point that chewed up an unnecessary 15min, meanwhile we never get an explanation for why so many explosions occur on the ship throughout the entire movie. Past those, Dreyfuss and Emmy Rossum carry their own, even Freddy Rodriguez and Mike Vogel were good. There's some cheese, some eyerolling, and maybe even some unintentional humor, but if this type of flick is up your alley to begin with, you're bound to enjoy it. I just wish the ending had offered a glimpse of the survivors back home, how their lives turned out. A high 6 from me.

PLEASE PRAY FOR Hollywood

[ster2001 · 3/10 · 13 May 2006]

Hollywood you better get your act together. Thanks you for spitting out another INSTANTLY forgettable "Blockbuster" Thank God I only paid $4 dollars to see this. Not only can't the Studios come up with original material. The material they remake is worse than the original. If this crap keeps up you will have even less of an audience. A good cast given nothing to chew on and a Director who has made great films and this is what we get? 150 million and the Ballroom set in the original was more impressive?

Video games are so prevalent in society that I fear their mind numbing influence is starting to permeate even NON video game derived movies. The original movie was a good solid, involving movie. This remake takes every element of the original and removes what made it involving. I mean EVERY element. There are people out there making these decisions!! And they are paid huge sums to make these decisions! With the talent in front of and behind the camera this is truly frightening as this seems to be the norm at the present.

Right from the start there is almost NO set up. We don't know where the ship is, where it is sailing, even what ocean it's on! Things that actually would create some atmosphere like the originals speech by the Captain explaining the origin of Poseidon. Greek God of the Sea. They are sailing on the Mediterranean, to Greece? Get it? Cheesy but involving. You know it gives the proceedings some gravatis, some mystery. In the remake we get nothing, we are are in Video game land, we don't have time for such things.

Even the cause for the disaster has absolutely no set up. Happy new year, bang, the tidal wave hits. Unlike the originals slow build up, as it explained WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND WHY! Even the effects in the original worked better. They were simpler but executed as a whole created more of an impact because of the tension that was built up. Again a sense of gravity, HUMAN INVOLVEMENT and Atmosphere! Even in the original, Leslie Nielsen's corny grimace as the wave engulfs the ship. It's goofy but you REMEMBER IT. You know a character we identify with reacting to the impending disaster. It's a very basic cinematic technique. But I guess todays more "sophisticated" audience don't need this kind of thing anymore.

There is no human involvement in the wave hitting in this remake. The Captain isn't called to the bridge, no build up, just some crew members we've had no contact with running around. Absolutely unmemorable. The effects are impressive but who cares, I'm not given anything to latch on to.

Straight across the board EVERY situation is diminished from the original. The scene chewing conflict between Gene Hackaman and Ernest Borgnine is totally lost in the remake. There is NO conflict with the characters. NONE! It's just one disaster to overcome to the next. You know , like a VIDEO GAME.

Even the self sacrificing Shelly Winters death swim has almost no emotional impact because the character doesn't return and die in front of everybody. Like DUH! Hey screen writers perhaps you should learn of something called ELEMENTS OF DRAMA!! Even if you have no talent you could at least COPY the original, not make it worse! Absolutely mind boggling!! If you WANTED to sabotage the original you couldn't have done a better job. UNREAL! All you film lovers just keep repeating "Things will get better" Repeat it like a prayer.

Give this film a chance to shine

[evansj2 · 10/10 · 21 October 2006]

This film has such a bad name from so many people, yet I think it is a brilliant film. Some people don't realise how much effort has gone into this film. People say that everything is CGI. Not true. The only things that are CGI in the whole film are: the ship, the wave. That's it. Everything else is sets. People actually were thrown around the place. Water did come in to the ballroom. I think some people don't give this film enough credit. The first time I watched it, I was in awe. It was such a convincing film. The look of the ship and how it interacted with light made it look so real. Sure, some of the film is far-fetched. And sure, you don't get to know the people on board. But that is because of the pace. They can't stand there for half-an-hour, spewing their guts out about themselves when the ship is sinking. The pace of the film is supposed to be rushed. The ship is sinking, and it's not going to stop sinking to let the people stop for a break. So I say give the film a break. If you haven't seen it and are judging it on what your friends/ family have said, ignore them. Watch it for yourself, you may find the film is actually better than what others say. And as said in the title, give this film a chance to shine, it's better than what people say

Wildly unbelievable, wildly entertaining

[Calicodreamin · 7/10 · 9 September 2019]

Let's get the fact that the story is entirely unbelievable out of the way first. A cruise ship being knocked over and floating upside down in the ocean... I don't think so. But, once you're past that, it's quite entertaining as far as survival action movies go. The journey through the ship is a nail bitter and first rate crazy. The characters are well developed and bring you into the storyline. Well done.

Not a Remake...

[dane534 · 4/10 · 12 May 2006]

It is important to point out that this new film is only based on THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE ... it is not a remake. When a passenger ship (named Poseidon) is hit by a large wave on New Years Eve and capsizes, a handful of people struggle to escape. Other than that, do not expect any similarities -- not one character, not one line of dialog, not one scene...

I first saw the original film when I was ten years old and have been a huge fan ever since. Surely TPA (as imperfect as it may be), was the catalyst that spurred my interest in ocean liners, architecture, classical music ... and Art Deco design. Therefore, I was excited about the latest film -- and pleased that it had been given to a talented director. I knew that the film and its characters had been changed/updated and was cool with that. But after viewing the new film twice now, I feel a bit let down.

I don't want to touch on the stale characters. Although it is a major flaw, that subject has already been addressed again and again on this board.

The cast (with the exception of Dreyfuss) are ALL buff and beautiful -- no fatties or uglies here. Of course, some of the physical obstacles in this film would require the endurance of a champion athlete and the bravado of a Schwarzenegger action hero! This is definitely not the motley group of survivors found in the original.

The CGI graphics were very good. The ship was beautiful in a glitzy Las Vegas sort of way ... but the Poseidon never seemed very "real" to me. Perhaps it was all those overly elaborate CGI camera shots? Not really sure why. The Titanic certainly seemed "real" in TITANIC. But for me, the Poseidon seemed as plastic as the people on it.

The capsizing sequence was stunning, but so many areas of the ship were highlighted in such a short time that I never really felt I was part of the action. There were no screaming passengers clinging/falling from overturned tables. No man falling backwards onto an illuminated skylight (a famous cinematic scene). And no Christmas tree!?! The Christmas tree played a pivotal role in the original film ... from passengers falling into it during the capsizing ... to it unexpectedly crashing down ... to the survivors climbing it (and Mrs. Rosen getting stuck in the spokes) ... to it falling back into the flooding Dining Room when panic ensues! Why leave it out entirely when there are so many cinematic possibilities? Instead the characters in the new film "sneak out" of the Ballroom using some stacked chairs. There is absolutely no plea for others to join them even though they know that anyone left behind may die. I suppose it says something about today's society ... "I'm getting out of here -- to hell with everyone else!". But these guys are supposed to be the heroes in the film?

Don't expect much humor in this film either. I really missed the funny scene with the upside-down bathroom set. I can't imagine not working that into the new movie! But these new action-survivors don't seem to require toilets ... or rest. They keep going and going -- through one unrealistic scenario one after another!

It was strange that the survivors find heaps of dead bodies everywhere they go, but never any other survivors. A ship this size would be expected to have over 4000 people on-board. Where are they? When our survivors merge in the Nightclub/Disco, they then struggle to find an escape route. So where did the 200-300 other people who left the room moments earlier go? And why can't our survivors seem to find a staircase/elevator core on this ship? Every modern passenger ship has several -- found every 200-feet or so. There is always one adjacent to the atrium (in addition to the grand stairway and glass elevators). Perhaps all the other people immediately ran up one of the usually ever-present staircases and escaped out a porthole hours earlier? That would certainly explain the absence of other people...

I must admit that I missed John William's music from the original. I wonder why he wasn't hired to update his existing TPA score -- dramatic in all the right places and the deep "bell" sound accompanying the music is indeed haunting. And wouldn't it be fun for all us old-timers if they had used "The Morning After" (Academy Award-winning song from the original) and updated it in the new film?

As fun as the original film may have been, I know that it is flawed, so some rewriting would be expected. And the producers obviously felt the need to update the original film to appeal to modern movie (and cruising) audiences. But this new version seems soulless. I feel that they may have been better off setting the film in 1972 and using the original campy script! That wonderful, but cheesy, dialog ran the gamut from the ridiculous to the sublime! Some of the quotes are classics! The new film's dialog is completely forgettable.

I suppose that this new film is fine if you are not expecting much. I was obviously hoping that Petersen would turn the original film into another TITANIC. But this POSEIDON is what it is ... a mindless summer action movie with dazzling special effects. Should appeal to teenagers. Though it is doubtful that this new film will inspire many youths or ever become a cult classic. And decades from now, will it have web pages, fan clubs and conventions devoted to it?

Actually, I'm guessing that by this time next year, this POSEIDON will be largely forgotten ... as it should be.

Life jacket for Fergie!....

[FlashCallahan · 6/10 · 27 August 2012]

It is New Year's Eve, and over 2,000 passengers & crew are ringing in the New Year aboard the huge cruise ship 'Poseidon' when it capsizes on the open sea in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean.

A small group of survivors find themselves unlikely allies in a battle for their lives.

Determined to fight their way to the surface, the group sets off through the disorienting maze of twisted steel in the upside-down wreckage.

As the unstable vessel rapidly fills with water each must draw on skills and strengths they didn't even know they possessed, fighting against time for their own survival and for each other....

So another year and another remake, but this was doomed from the word go, as it stars Josh 'whenever I'm in a blockbuster it flops' Lucas. I think he's a good actor, and some of his more independent films are great, but this, Stealth, and on any levels Hulk, we're failures, and he was one of the big stars of those films.

This has all the elements of the original, the old rag tag team who survive have all their own problems, and they come to terms with them throughout the film.

Dreyfuss and Russell are the main draw here, and they are great in their roles, Lucas is good, but next to stars of this calibre, he just fades into the background.

The effects are the best thing about the whole movie, and once we get to the end of the adventure, you realise that the version with Hackman is still one of the best disaster movies ever made.

So in the end, it's not as bad as many state on here, it's just pointless.

Shelley Winters Where Are You?

[dglink · 7/10 · 12 May 2006]

Wolfgang Petersen certainly knows how to helm a pulse-pounding action-suspense film. While not in the same league as his masterwork, "Das Boot," "Poseidon," a streamlined remake of Irwin Allen's 1972 classic "The Poseidon Adventure," takes off quickly and provides a non-stop adrenaline rush for the next 99 minutes. The script, based on the original Paul Gallico novel, has been honed to its basic action elements and is about twenty minutes shorter than the earlier movie. However, the film's brevity may be too much of a good thing. A lot of the fun in the original film came from scene stealers like Shelley Winters, who provided some respite from the ordeal. Although "Poseidon" does have some kitschy dialog and characters that stop during tense moments for groan-inducing personal reflections, the film generally adheres closely to the action as a motley group of cruise-ship passengers struggle up to the bottom of their overturned vessel.

The special effects in "Poseidon" are all that a reported $150 million can buy, and a couple of scenes, including the initial tidal wave, are breathtaking. Unlike its predecessor, the remake does not flinch from showing the grim details of violent death, and bodies abound as the survivors stumble along ceilings and up through the decks to the bottom of the ship, which is all that remains above the surface of the ocean. Although the producers did not pinch the special effects budget, they certainly did not expend much on the cast. While "The Poseidon Adventure" boasted a cast of stars that included a few Oscar winners, "Poseidon" has few familiar names besides Kurt Russell and Richard Dreyfus. The well-known stars of the original film brought audience recognition with them, and viewers cared about their fates. Unfortunately, with little dialog to develop character and largely unknown faces before the camera, the fates of those on screen evoke little interest beyond the guessing game of "who will survive?"

However, for undemanding action fans, "Poseidon" is a near-two-hour non-stop ride that is reminiscent of the second half of "Titanic." Petersen's more-than-competent direction keeps the film, if not the ship, on an even keel, although those with long memories will likely be drawn back to the original film, which was more entertaining, if less spectacular. Rarely should films be longer than they already are, but, in the case of "Poseidon," a bit more character development, a few pauses to let the audience catch their breath, and a few light moments to relieve the tension would have been welcome. Where is Shelley Winters when you really need her?

Some gripping scenes and effects can't quite overcome a weak script and dull characters

[christian123 · 4/10 · 19 May 2006]

On New Year's Eve, the luxury cruise ship Poseidon is hit by an enormous wave that flips it upside-down stranding thousands of passengers underwater. A group of passengers join together to try to escape the ship.

The original Poseidon was decent disaster film. It had engaging characters, decent special effects and a cheesy storyline. The remake is more or less the same minus the interesting characters, charm and suspense. Okay, the remake did have a few suspenseful scenes though nothing very memorable or original. The reason why the film wasn't very suspenseful was because the characters were all one dimensional and dull. There was no character development at all so it was hard to care for these people. While watching the movie, it's just easier to refer to them as generic titles like "the old guy" or something. Actually, if you use this method then you can probably figure out who will die and in what order they will die.

The acting is very weak and unconvincing. Josh Lucas is an okay actor but he wasn't very good here. He just didn't make a good hero nor was his character very likable. Kurt Russell was okay, nothing special. Emmy Rossum was terrible as Jennifer. Her performance felt so forced and over the top. The way she expressed her emotions just looked so fake and unconvincing. Jimmy Bennett was just annoying as Conor. Richard Dreyfuss was very misused and his character seemed out of place. Jacinda Barrett gives a laughable performance, it was just very poor. I should warn you (or comfort you?) that Stacy Ferguson from the Black Eyed peas is only in the movie for about 10 minutes, maybe a little less.

When judged as a disaster film, Poseidon is actually pretty decent. The special effects were great though 160 million was obviously just a bit too much. Wolfgang Petersen is really good at making a film appear stylish including the ship which looked amazing. His storytelling skills aren't as good though. The combination of a weak script didn't help matters either. The movie was just too corny at times for my taste. For example, there was once scene where Josh Lucas was planning to escape the ballroom and one by one, the rest of the characters just come up and ask to come along. It was just a bit too obvious and they should have handled it differently. I also thought it was kind of dumb that all the characters were able to hold their breath underwater for large amounts of time. Despite these flaws, there were a few engaging scenes and some touching moments. Also, the movie is pretty short so it's not really too much of a pain to sit through. This helped the experience a little though I wouldn't have minded a longer movie. In the end, Poseidon may not be worth checking out in theaters but it should make for a decent rental. Rating 6/10

Spectacular and engrossing remake with handsome casting

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 8 October 2007]

This formula disaster movie from Wolfgang Petersen deals about the famous luxury cruise ship turned over by giant tidal wave leaving group of survivors and hopefully scape, attempting save themselves. One time of wreckage of Poseidon during New year's eve the survivors from liner passenger looking for dangerous ways to survive. Meanwhile is developed romance and emotional byplay between various couples, Emily Russum-Mike Vogel, Josh Lucas-Jacinda Barrett, Richard Dreyfuss-Mia Maestro and relationship among parents and sons : Kurt Russell-Emily Russum and Jacinda Barrett-Jimmy Bennett.

This high budget remake mingles action, intrigue, disaster spectacle , suspense and quite entertaining though plenty of clichés. Our heroes get stuck in the ship before it sinks and suffering risks, dangers and death. The protagonists spend most of their time devising grisly ways for avoid to die like in the original picture based on a novel by Paul Gallico.The movie isn't bad but the events were also spectacularly filmed in classic version, previously winner several Oscar Academy Award.Introductory sequences are a little boring but one soon gets caught in the tale when the vessel is capsized by tidal wave.The explosions, pyrotechnics and floods are sensational but the movie is just another habitual blockbuster product and resulted to be a box office flop, in spite of a million dollars production. Furthermore, displays a sensational soundtrack by Klaus Badelt and enjoyable cinematography by John Seale.The picture is professionally directed by Wolfgang Petersen. It's a rehash of the previous disaster movies and fairly watchable story.

I was expecting better from WP

[Tim-130 · 4/10 · 13 May 2006]

Can I get a job as a screenwriter? You obviously don't need any experience. In fact the dialogue was probably just thrown in to waste paper. Were there any technical advisors on the crew? I mean besides the chimps behind the typewriters. The actual wave sequence was decent, but a little underdone, (except for those is the flash fire sequences, they were well done). I kept expecting it to get better, but it never did; in fact it got worse. Can I ask just how Kurt Russell knew exactly where the controls for the engines were? About 150 yards down this corridor, under water! Seems like most ship movies I've seen there are a full set of controls in the engine room. Why would the motors be running anyway? How could the tanks fill so rapidly if they were upside down? And do workers normally go into these huge tanks to turn the pumps on? Yes the deeper they got, they deeper my heart sank. How come the boyfriend show absolutely no signs of injury 10 minutes after being freed from the lighting rig? Dreyfuss should have been dead after getting hit by that door. Was there a Christmas tree? Seems to me that there should have been one. I guess pc has struck the luxury cruise lines too. I guess I'm getting old.

Not a Masterpiece, but Too Harshly Dismissed

[mcsheehey · 6/10 · 29 April 2007]

It goes without saying that this film is nowhere near as great a film as the original "Poseidon Adventure." However, it is in no way a bad film. Everyone knows the story of the film. A bunch of rowdy, filthy rich for the most part, and carefree passengers of a cruise ship are busy celebrating the New Year with Fergie when a giant wave flips the ship over. Before the crash of the wave, we get a peek into the lives of some random passengers, especially the lives of Kurt Russel's and Josh Lucas's characters. These are the people that we spend the entire movie with, that is until they are picked off one by one in often heroic, yet sometimes simply bizarre death sequences. These sequences keep the movie moving with a high level of intensity. Still, the side conflicts of these characters seem very small in the whole scheme of things, and are often distracting. The acting also provides no real life savers, sending us plunging into frustration. The real saving factor of this film is the special effects. Oscar-nominated effects are the driving force of this film, and they're pretty darn good. We're treated to stunning visuals, epic sound effects, grandeur location sweeps, and an occasional performance by Fergie's nightclub singing character. This film is filled with crowd-pleasing moments, such as the giant wave crashing on to the boat and Fergie's death (did I say that out loud). Though it is rather mawkish and ridiculous at times, Poseidon does eventually deliver.

The Hollywood imagination

[chopendoz · 3/10 · 3 June 2006]

This movie epitomizes what is wrong with Hollywood today. Because they lack imagination, the major film studios either copy an idea from a foreign film (Japanese, French, English, especially) or make a sequel or remake of an an existing moneymaker and milk it to death. Where are the original ideas? The Hollywood movie industry (and most of American TV for that matter) has become far too idealistic in my view. The characters are depicted as, not how people really are, but how we would like them to be, and the viewers often emulate what they see on screen as if life actually IS like that. Why should it be all about the 'bottom line'. Out of the top 10 top grossing movies each year, how many actually make a profit? It seems to be a matter of just churning out this sort of garbage and hoping for the best. Why don't the major studios spend the same amount of money making fewer but better films? One wonders sometimes how people are convinced into investing good money in making this rubbish. Poseidon? So far this 'blockbuster' has grossed $50 million – a long way from the $140 million it cost to make. Chances are it won't even break even. It becomes very obvious right from the start that it is formulaic and clichéd. For example, why anyone in their right mind would take a woman and her young son along with the exploring party is anyone's guess. Probably because they prove useful along the way. The Hispanic busboy (Valentine) who tags along was the obvious candidate to die being a nonentity, an unknown actor. It's all squarely aimed at the 'demographic' – the 13-30 group. That's why there is always a child involved in the story, why most of the characters are 30 years old – and good looking. That's why we have a politically correct cast with a black captain, Hispanic entertainers, etc. There is a always a love interest to attract the female segment of the audience and there is always a happy ending one way or another. We have the usual combination of 'B' list actors and those desperate for work, who go through the motions of what passes for acting these days. 'Stand on your mark and say your line when it's your turn'. Don't the directors realize that when people talk to one another, they often interrupt one another? Robert Altman knows this but few others. The special effects are good but with a few too many quick camera movements that are hard on the eye after a while. After only a few minutes I realized that I had seen this movie before in all its forms. Even though the backdrop changes, the character development is always the same. The guy who cares only for himself discovers that he has some redeeming features, The hero will do heroic things and maybe make the supreme sacrifice to save others. Father and son/daughter will reconcile their differences, the coward becomes brave, etc.etc. I've seen it all before.

Makes Titanic look like a Tupperware party!

[raegan_butcher · 10/10 · 7 June 2006]

I think a lot of people are trashing on this film because--after embracing every rotten comic book adaptation and remake of a crappy 70's TV sitcom that's been spoon fed them in the past five years--it is now fashionable to assume the other position and slag on anything that dares to remake a "70's classic", has a big budget, etc, etc.

I found the new version of POSEIDON to be an incredibly intense experience. The sequence where the massive wave turns the ship over is a dread-spectacle of such monstrous proportions that it makes TITANIC look like a a Tupperware party. If you are looking for a lightning paced, edge of your seat thrill-ride then POSEIDON delivers. Josh Lucas and Kurt Russell make fine no-nonsense heroes and they're supported ably by the rest of the cast. The script is lean, with zero fat content and a surprisingly unsentimental edge that had me gasping in astonishment and admiration at many points.

Poseidon is Saved by Brevity, Effects

[LadyLiberty · 6/10 · 14 May 2006]

Poseidon was the Greek god of the sea, and is thus a fitting name for a huge and luxurious ocean liner. She's on a New Year's cruise when the unexpected occurs at the height of the revelry: a rogue wave overtakes and capsizes her. Among those celebrating in the ship's ballroom and who survive the initial impact are Dylan Johns (Josh Lucas), an itinerant gambler, and Robert Ramsey (Kurt Russell), a former fireman and the ex-mayor of New York City.

While the ship's captain (Andre Braugher) tries to calm the hysterical survivors, Dylan is focused on nothing but getting out of the ship he knows is bound to sink. Ramsey, meanwhile, is more worried about his daughter, Jennifer (Emmy Rossum) and her boyfriend, Christian (Mike Vogel) who were ringing in the New Year one floor down from the ballroom in the ship's disco.

Though Ramsey and Dylan met earlier in the evening as adversaries over a high stakes game of poker, they find themselves working together to rescue a young child, Conor (Jimmy Bennett) and calm his mother, Maggie (Jacinda Barrett). Once Maggie discovers that Dylan has a vague plan to escape the doomed ship, she demands to accompany him. Ramsey joins them with his own parallel agenda, as does the broken-hearted Nelson (Richard Dreyfuss), who is all but suicidal until his life is threatened by the ship's mishap.

With guidance from a ship's waiter, the small troupe defies the captain's orders to stay put and wait for rescue, and they begin their journey on the topsy turvy ship to reach the bottom by climbing up. The group faces terrible dangers from many sources ranging from shifting objects to broken electrical and gas lines, but they finally reach the disco to discover a scene of carnage there. The few survivors, however, do include Jennifer and an injured Christian as well as a young Hispanic woman named Elena (Mia Maestro).

With a growing sense of urgency, the group now begins its climb in earnest, but they find their best laid plans thwarted at virtually every turn. It's in the face of their fears and the imminent threat of death, however, that some in the group find their finest moments. And as the great ship endures her death spasms, there are those who will, despite their courage or their need, die with her.

Josh Lucas is always fun to watch simply because he's so good at being a lovable rogue. In Poseidon, he's all that, but he also shows the ability to convey true courage which isn't the lack of fear, but rather the ability to act despite being afraid. He's also got a future as an action star if he wants one — a few of his stunts are impressive to say the least! Kurt Russell is aging very well, showing a mature authority and capability here without pretending the physicality of a younger man.

Emmy Rossum who was so brilliant in The Phantom of the Opera is fine here and so is Mike Vogel; Jacinda Barrett is completely convincing as the near hysterical young mother, though Jimmy Bennett could have been a bit less strident. Richard Dreyfuss, who has so often been cast as a slightly bumbling every man, is in fine form as the fussy Nelson. Mia Maestro is particularly effective. Her fears became my own despite the fact I'm not claustrophobic, and there were moments where I was literally short of breath as I watched her dragged (almost literally) kicking and screaming to the next challenge by her fellows.

The script is, of course, somewhat predictable. Like Titanic, we all know what's going to happen. But reading the book or seeing the 1972 version (entitled The Poseidon Adventure) won't spoil this remake for you: The characters are all new as are their challenges, so you'll find the who-lives-and-who-dies suspense well in place. Though the characters aren't as developed as some of us might like them to be (okay, as I might like them to be), the fact that the movie is relatively short (98 minutes) and the action is non-stop actually make the film better in its genre.

Director Wolfgang Peterson has a moderately uneven past, but with Troy (which I thought was a better effort than some critics did), The Perfect Storm, and Air Force One on his résumé, there's some unquestionable skill and experience he's able to lend to Poseidon; he moves things right along, and his tight edits and the focus on the terror of individuals is just terrific for adding to the overall effect of the movie. It probably goes without saying, but lest you wonder I'll say it anyway: yes, the special effects are awesome, and some of the stunts are pretty amazing, too.

Poseidon is probably not everything the commercials and trailers would have you believe that it is, but it's pretty good none-the-less. If you want action, suspense, special effects, and human drama all rolled up into one neat hour-and-a-half long package, well, Poseidon will do the job for you. And while you may not relive moments of the film in your mind in the days to come, you'll almost certainly enjoy the ride as long as it lasts.

FAMILY SUITABILITY: Poseidon is rated PG-13 for "intense prolonged sequences of disaster and peril." There are also some rather creative ways various people meet their deaths, and though it's typically not graphic, a few of them are pretty awful. As a result, I don't recommend this movie for kids under the age of 13 or 14 or so. But if the rest of you are just looking for a good time, Poseidon could fit your plans to a T.

It was the errors that really bothered me

[doughelo · 3/10 · 15 May 2006]

The worst error concerned the bow thruster at the end.

• Why was it still running? Almost all other electrical power was out, and a bow thruster would not be on an emergency circuit.

• When Richard Dreyfuss opens the hatch into the bow thruster shaft, a hurricane force of wind blows into the room. Ship propellers are slow-turning compared to aircraft propellers (so as to avoid cavitation) and are not going to move large quantities of air - hardly any, in fact, as they're not shaped to move low density air.

• There seemed to be a propeller on either side of the shaft. For air to blow inward, both props would have to be pulling air towards each other. The idea in a bow thruster is to pull water in one end and out the other.

• Nobody would build an inward-opening hatch below the waterline.

Also, it seemed that from the ballast tank (by definition and appearance at the bottom of the ship) they seemed to travel UP a few levels, thus in reality placing them above the bottom of the ship.

I found it a bit hard to believe the Captain could have convinced anyone to stay in an underwater room with giant windows showing the ocean behind the glass.

Spoiler!!!

[neshasouthport-1 · 6/10 · 4 September 2019]

I think I remember seeing the trailer for this movie when it first came out, but just never got the chance to watch it. Found it on Netflix at 1am and thought "why not". The movie I thought was pretty decent. I never been on a cruise ship before and know no idea about boats so I feel like i am pretty clueless and that's probably why I think the movie is decent. The only thing that makes me mad is Elena's death and the fact it was never brought up that Valentin was the reason she was there. I felt Elena should have been one of the survivors because they sacrificed Valentin. Also, I just realized the cast wasn't very diverse. Only had Valentin, Elena and the Captain. Poor Elena! Wrong place at the wrong time.

Good not great

[the-gossip-king · 7/10 · 6 April 2008]

Let me start off by saying I love Wolfgang Peterson as a director but I really think he needs to broaden his horizons. He is known for making intelligent action flicks. I love him for that but honestly the man is a visionary and should try something new for a change. Anyway, to the movie. Good not great. A lot more intelligent and well researched. It still has typical action flaws like how an earth can someone breath underwater for what feels like five minutes but thats an action flick and you appreciate that. Visual effects are amazing. I still think Troy is the movie that produces the best effects but this is a worthy competitor. You also have your typical human interest stories which are one of the only things that annoy me in this man's film because they always feel like he has just thrown them in there without much care. The other thing about his movies that annoys me is the fact that he doesn't work on his actors much. I liked Brad Pitt in Troy but a lot of people didn't. I did not however like Josh Lucas and Kurt Russel was alright but not extremely appealing. That said I thin the worst main actor for one of his movies goes to Dustin Hoffman in Outbreak. It is probably his best action movie but I laugh when I see Dustin Hoffman try and be serious in this movie and I also think the man needs to work on his dialogue. I no this sounds like a scathing review but I did enjoy it and it kept me interested throughout the whole movie which is the main point of a movie so yeah, I wouldn't hesitate to call this a decent movie, with errors though!