Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas and Richard Dreyfuss are among the stars in this shipshape remake of 1972's The Poseidon Adventure
Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas and Richard Dreyfuss are among the stars in this shipshape remake of 1972's The Poseidon Adventure.
It’s New Year's Eve and, while the guests party, the luxury ocean liner Poseidon capsizes under the impact of a freak wave.
Most of the passengers foolishly stay where they are, but an intrepid few, led by Lucas and Russell, attempt the long climb to freedom – in a ship in which the bottom is now the top.
This may not be as good as the original, which set the template for every disaster movie, but this new version has a lot going for it.
The actors do sterling work with their thinly drawn characters and make every sweaty-palmed moment of tension count, while the special effects impress as well.
Director Wolfgang Petersen (who previously made Das Boot and The Perfect Storm) is in his element and, with an emphasis on epic heroics and claustrophobic action sequences, this is an edge-of-seat thrill ride.
