I was most surprised that the rogue wave hit the luxury cruise ship so soon into the film, since it didn’t allow for much time to get to know the characters; and from the moment the wave hits the action doesn’t let up for one minute.
It was nice to see Richard Dreyfuss in a film again, but was sad to see that he barely had more than 5 lines throughout the film since the narrative didn’t seem to provide much dialogue for him or anyone for that matter. Kurt Russell played his usual tight lipped action hero minus the Snake Plissken eye patch. This time he’s Robert Ramsey, a former NY mayor and fireman, as well as a concerned father on board.
Overall it is hard to say if anyone did a good or bad job since the action took precedence over the acting. I was impressed with Mia Maestro of Alias who played Elena a claustrophobic stowaway on board. Josh Lucas (Sweet Home Alabama), Emmy Rossum (Phantom of the Opera), Freddy Rodriquez (Six Feet Under) and Andre Braugher (City of Angels) are also featured in supporting roles.
The Upside:
An action packed thriller and a technology spectacle worth seeing on the big screen to get the full feel.
The Downside:
Unbelievable, outlandish and disturbing.
On the Side:
The band leader on board during the New Year’s festivities is Stacy Ferguson a.k.a. Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas. Also check out the official website for a cool video clip of the tsunami upon entering at www.poseidonmovie.com
Final Grade: B-
Release Date: May 12, 2006
Film Stats:
Starring: Kurt Russell, Emmy Rossum, Mía Maestro, Josh Lucas
Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen
Writing Credits: Mark Protosevich (screenplay) Paul Gallico (novel)
Country: USA
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for intense prolonged sequences of disaster and peril.
Run Time: 99 min.
Studio: Warner Brothers (official site)
Trailer
By Tara Settembre, Staff Writer for Film School Rejects
Article comments
1 - Armin Siljkovic
Does it have similarities from other Wolfgang Petersen movies in the same category (The Perfect Storm, Das Boot)?