Poseidon (2006)

Nice Effects and great movie!

I just got done watching this movie a couple nights ago. It was a great movie! The visual effects were outstanding and the plot and characters were awesome! It was really fun watching this movie and I highly recommend it!!! June 17, 2008

Big Boat Go Flop!

The original Poseidon Adventure was Irwin Allen in his disaster film best...ensemble acting with a tragedy to work through. He worked that formula like no-one else...so when Wolfgang Petersen went to remake it, he did what he should have. He scrapped what Allen was magic at and inserted his own strength in their place. Which meant characters that might not be the most interesting, but working as a team to overcome the odds (think Das Boot).

To that end, his "Poseidon" is a faster paced, tighter and shorter movie than Allen's and moves at such a tear that it's hard to notice when it falters. The cast is helmed by Kurt Russell (playing troubled macho as only he can), Josh Lucas (loner gambler subbing for Gene Hackman's loner priest) and Richard Dreyfuss (gay man just jilted by his ex for a younger man). Along with seven other survivors, this group must battle fire, water and the clock to climb up the ship to safety.

Minus the 3-dimensional characters, Petersen gives us a 3-dimensional ship. The effects are a marvel (the bonus disc shows you just how few CGI effects were used) and the opening wave scene is visceral in its blunt force. The capsizing boat, with the ensuing death and the mayhem, will scare the saltwater out of you. Maybe even more so than some horror movies. Little time is wasted between survival episodes, although the nod to Shelly Winters' swim team dialog from the original is a nice touch. The survivors overcome obstacle after peril and each more tense than the last.

There is, naturally, a happy ending. Just who makes it out and how is the fun of "Poseidon." Once it's over, make sure to watch the DVD extras, with the Crew Diary being interesting and the Special Effects feature fascinating. June 17, 2008

Was ok

Can't top the original, they try to improve but loss some of the best original scenes...like Shelley Winters great part almost at the end of the movie. May 29, 2008

Not my type of film

I assume some people might find this film interesting simply because the special effects are considerably better than "The Poseidon Adventure." However, that being said, the film becomes boring quickly. I found the acting poor and the scripting even worse.

In "The Poseidon Adventure" a few talented actors and actresses carry the production. (I especially enjoyed Gene Hackman's role as the pastor). John William's fine scores, and the Academy Award winning "The Morning After" are also enjoyable.

These above items save "The Poseidon Adventure" from being a bore. Because the acting in "Poseidon" is poor, and the scripting and music are even poorer, there is nothing to save this film, which is probably why there are so many used copies available for 75 cents or fewer. (Note that currently the lowest used copy of "The Poseidon Adventure" is about 7 dollars).

Simply put, if you own "The Poseidon Adventure", enjoy it. If you don't own any Poseidon film, purchase (or rent) "The Poseidon Adventure" starring Gene Hackman. May 5, 2008

Very good remake

Poseidon is a very good remake of the early 70s Poseidon Adventure. When I viewed the film, it helped to have recently seen a program on the History Channel about rogue waves. The acting, action, and special effects are all superlative.

My favorite line from the movie: "everyone stay calm." Yeah, right. The movie is shorter than the original. There are 10 minutes of overkill ending credits making the actual film about 90 minutes. It is a bit more frantic than the original. Some of the computer animation (especially the opening ship scene) still does not look as good as good old fashioned models. But, overall, I enjoyed the film.

Richard Dreyfuss again gives us another reason to stay off the water, even when he finally got a bigger boat.
April 10, 2008

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