| Review: A remake of a 1972 disaster/
thriller “The Poseidon Adventure,” this new rendition
is brought up to the 2006 time frame in set, dialog and costume, but
the rogue wave is as old as Mother Nature herself. And when it strikes,
be advised, you will be on the edge of your seat for the next hour
and a half.
The night is New Year’s Eve and the passengers on the Poseidon
are celebrating in high style. But, not too long into the night,
things go terribly wrong. A giant wave comes from seemingly nowhere
and quickly capsizes the opulent vessel. Not only struck, but turned
completely upside down, the ship’s surviving passengers struggle
with the disaster and its horrific aftermath.
To the forefront comes, gambler John Dylan (Josh Lucas) who assembles
a group of followers to find a way out through the ship’s
turbine tunnels. The unlikely group consisting of a few strong young
people, an elderly man and a mother and child begin the upward trek
to safety with the rising water close on their tails.
A strong cast including Richard Dreyfuss, Kurt Russell, Jacinda
Barrett and a seasoned director, Wolfgang Peterson, translate into
a good, but thoroughly exhausting, evening’s entertainment.
Highly melodramatic, but its strong special effects rescue it from
impending disaster.
by Mary Morgan is a member of the St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association. |
