Water, water everywhere, but not a drop of relief.
Oh, for a little smile, a dash of humour, a soupcon of wit. Is it asking too much?
We thrill to truly astonishing CGI effects, the rogue wave that topples the ship and the startling, horrific effects of destruction onboard in its wake. There’s plenty to see and lots of nearly unbearable tension. Still, a little relief would have set the horror off to greater effect and maybe we’d care more about the people.
The film needs a little humour and heart to balance the heavy burden of relentless disaster.
Director Wolfgang Petersen is an astute maker of big technical films, but his MO is light on the people angle.
Even the usually reliable and charismatic Kurt Russell is at arm’s length from us. His fate feels minor despite our reflexive caring for his characters.
His daughter (Emmy Rossum) looks worried, ditto her fiancé (Mike Vogel), but a stowaway (Mia Maestro) is terrified.
There’s no Shelly Winters type – someone we feel emotionally bound to, whose flaws and heroics break our hearts. She became part of the movie lexicon in the original. Who doesn’t know the Shelley Winters Poseidon Adventure swimming impersonation on a stool?
Well, anyone old…
The characters and their significant relationships are set up a bit too quickly, and the filmmakers give them short shrift in favour of effects. It’s not all effects of course; Josh Lucas has said he nearly drowned in the water tanks on the Warner lot.
Set pieces are impressively colossal. Two massive sets were built, one of the ship right side up, the other, the ship upside down that could be filled with water and emptied in a few hours.
Most of the movie takes place in dark tunnels, air shafts, vents and other assorted holes leading to the air above. Claustrophobic folks may find themselves feeling uncomfortable; not only are the protagonists in tight, tiny quarters but rushing water’s nipping at their heels and there’s lots of swimming and breath holding, you know, like the previous Poseidon.
The scenes are often too long and often boring. Water loses its primal threat.
Two bright lights – the tiny talented and to cute for words Jimmy Bennett as the sole child on the escape mission. He glows vulnerability and naïve bravery.
Richard Dreyfuss offers depth to this disaster cartoon, as a suicidal man who rediscovers his urge to live and survive the night.
It seems like Oscar material compared to the rest.
Poseidon picks up where Titanic left off, and while it lacks originality and human connection, it’s still a great ride.
Kids who have never seen a disaster film will probably eat this one up –‘ cos it’s sick.
Opens wide international May 12, 2006 MPAA rated PG-13 for intense prolonged sequences of disaster and peril
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