quel casting !
A cruise ship succumbs to a terrorist act and capsizes on New Year's eve. A rag-tag group of survivors, spearheaded by a priest and a homeland security agent, must journey through the upside down vessel and attempt an escape.
A made-for-television remake of Irwin Allen's 1972 disaster-movie blockbuster of the same title, The Poseidon Adventure updates the story of a capsized cruise ship whose survivors are literally walking on the vessel's ceiling in an effort to save themselves. Fans of the original movie will recognize counterparts to several characters, including Rutger Hauer as a Catholic clergyman who helps lead others through the Poseidon's upside-down maze of rooms, and Sylvia Syms as a frightened widow who finds the resolve to save her companions at a crucial juncture. Bryan Brown plays a hotshot television producer whose young wife (Tinarie Van Wyk) is uncertain of their future; Steve Guttenberg and Alexa Hamilton are a married couple whose marriage is a sinking ship of another sort; and C. Thomas Howell plays the ship's doctor whose broken arm necessitates the aid of a nursing student (Amber Sainsbury).
Peter Weller makes a nice impression as Captain Gallico (named after the author of The Poseidon Adventure's source novel) and Adam Baldwin is terrific as a Homeland Security operative. In our current political climate, the temptation is strong to attribute the Poseidon's troubles to terrorists, and that's exactly what happens this time around. Some of the action concerning Al Quaeda-like infiltration of the Poseidon's service staff, the planting of bombs, etc., is a little overdone, and a number of scenes starring British actress Alex Kingston as a senior intelligence official are a bit overwrought. But special effects, while not spectacular, make the Poseidon tragedy unnervingly believable (and visually surreal), and a solid cast keeps the accent on emotion despite the script's tendency to shove speeches in everyone's mouth.
Do Not Waste Your Time or Money Get the Original!, January 17, 2006
Reviewer: Movie Mania "DVD Collector" (Southern Calfornia) - See all my reviews
The premise of the original Posiedon Adventure was a ship on its final voyage is overtuned by a tidal wave. The passengers must escape up to the hull to survive. On every level there are obstacles to overcome and not all will survive them.
The premise of this TV movie is a terrorist plot to sink the high profile ship on New Year's Eve. But the valiant Homeland Security agent is able top uncover the plot and disarm them on one side of the ship but not the other creating the capsizing of the ship. And the rest is the same.
But while the first is pure action film, this is pure boredom. I was excited when I hear of this remake but was disappointed in the result. Even the special effects are worse.
Let's see the Summer 2006 big screen remake.
I enjoyed it, February 12, 2006
Reviewer: Ian (California, USA) - See all my reviews
While one may question releasing a remake of the first Poseidon adventure mere months before another remake comes out, I was pleasantly suprised when I watched this after renting it at my local Blockbuster store.
The movie follows the original Poseidon adventure fairly closely. On new years eve a giant ocean liner capsizes and several passengers struggle to survive and escape before the ship goes under. What's new in this version is that instead of a giant tidal wave, we have some crazy terrorists who blow a hole in the ship, causing it to take water and quickly capsize during a rough storm.
The movie is basically the same as the original, though there are some noticable differences. While the main charachter in the original was the priest, the main stars in this movie are a family who's going through some rough times as the parents try to keep thier marriage together. We've got a homeland security agent who tries to keep the ship safe (but as you can guess, doesn't succed), and the fact that the outside world is racing to save the ship before it sinks.
Several charachters from the original return here, such as the kids, Mrs. Rosen, the minister, the steward, while some charachters don't return (Mrs. Rosen's husband is gone, so she's a widow), and some get new roles (Rogo is now a homeland security officer undercover as an off-duty policeman). For the most part I think the charachters worked fairly well. There are some good moments between them, such as one of the stewards acting as a vampire for the boy's movie (which he's constantly filming throughout the entire film). The minister, who was a bit angry in the original, is now more calm, friendly, and focused in this remake (which I like). The acting is, on the whole, above average for a made for TV movie. None of the charachters felt overly weak or overly good. Just acceptable, average acting with some good parts. If I really had to point somebody out, it would be the boy, who is constantly filming the disaster with his video camera (and working in tandem with a guy who wants to buy the footage and turn it into a TV drama). Although it was an interesting idea that he's trying to make a movie out of the events around him, I found it to be irritating and annoying.
The real star of this movie is, predictably, the special effects. While not ILM or WETA quality, the special effects of the ship are actually quite impressive. There were a few shots where I found myself thinking "Is that a real ship?". The turn over sequence in paticular, where the ship capsizes, is excellently done and had my attention throughout the entire scene. The sets are also well done, conveying the sense of an upside down sinking ship very well.
However, the aspect of the movie that needed the most attention was the suspense. In short, there really wasn't any. The only real suspense I got was wondering who was going to die, though one can get a good idea by focusing hard enough. When a charachter does die, it's usually quick in the manner of "Oh no!...Let's move on." In the original, the charachters are constantly scrambling to stay ahead of the rising water. Here, there's hardly any water chasing after them, meaning that they have plenty of time to keep going. The only real sinking comes in at the last minute. One quick note is that while the rescuers are constantly saying that the ship is going under, it stays perfectly level during the climax of the movie, and for some reason satalite images show the bow going under. There is some suspense in the movie, but there's very little of it.
lastly, the main topic of the movie (the family trying to stay together) just dosn't work well. The mom and dad argue, then the dad eventually goes off to have an affair with another woman, then works to coming back to his family after the ship turns over so he can finally see that family is what matters etc. It sounds really good on paper, but it does not work very well here.
There's also some morality points brought up, such as why do terrorists want to kill people, having an affair is bad, etc. There's a very symbolic sequence involving fire near the end of the movie where it is very obvious that those who are not exactly saints are going to get barbecued (though i'd say that the second victim really diddn't deserve to die). Take that low moral values!
Overall, i'd recommend this movie for the special effects, the sets, and the interest of seeing who lives and who dies compared to the original movie (some of the charachters who died live in this version). It takes some good ideas and some modern day questions, trying to work them into a classic disaster story and for the most part at least pulling it halfway off. I'd say that it's at least worth a rental.
It does not sink, but it's not great either. , March 21, 2006
Reviewer: Thomas James Maher - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This made for TV remake of the classic thriller, is okay. Sometimes you wonder what the folks who made the film were thinking, like, the whole terrorist theme, and why did they make the priest a bishop, (who hardly challenges authority)?
They did keep some things, like the Christmas Tree bit, and the dude falling and smashing into the stained glass ceiling...but then again, they did not keep enough of the classic film, like
the real reason the ship capsized...They added some really stupid stuff, like the plot with the husband cheating on his wife, and then the woman whom he cheated with, dies. Why even bother?
Here's the deal. I got this film, since I loved the classic, and will be seeing the upcoming Hollywood Remake. And I am sucker for corny films. But I think, that if you buy this film thinking this is a great remake, you may be disappointed.
Great remake...With the times!, March 6, 2006
Reviewer: Christopher Bauer "cbass" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
The Poseidon Adventure is an entertaining thrill ride that quickly makes you forget that it is a made-for-television production.
The DVD release has a few flaws indicate that Echo Bridge lacks a certain experience and understanding of the DVD market. It is a fairly new studio so there is hope that they will turn around and get a handle on these issues in the future, but for now, releases like "The Poseidon Adventure" are sadly technically sub-par even though the film itself is good to watch.
NO MORNING AFTER, February 26, 2006
Reviewer: Michael Butts (Martinsburg, WV USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE first given life in the now classic 1972 version is one of our most beloved disaster flicks; Hallmark did this 2005 TV version and there's ANOTHER big screen edition coming out later this year. Are any remakes necessary? Probably not, but in an age where original ideas get relegated to the independent filmmakers, Hollywood is trying to cash in on the old chestnuts to revitalize their box office and/or ratings. With that in mind, this edition of the original is far from great but it's not awful either. The tsunami doesn't capsize the boat; in this version a terrorist bomb is the nasty. The movie's cast is likened to the original with many twists in how they are characterized this time around. Of a large cast of familiar B movie actors, the ones that stand out are Sylvia Sims doing quite well as the Shelley Winters clone, underplaying her role quite nicely; usually villainous Rutger Hauer is a heroic priest who has some nice moments with Sims; Adam Baldwin is a staunch heroic Rogo; and Peter Weller has a nice death scene. The effects are fair to middling, the CGI creations pretty obvious; there's even a new song, but it can't match the schmaltz of the Oscar winning MORNING AFTER. I watched the extended version which claimed to have 40 extra minutes of footage; it was too long but having liked the original, this one brought back some fond memories.
Cringeworthy, February 17, 2006
Reviewer: Jack Ryan "realcapodicapi" (UK) - See all my reviews
Not worthy of a long review - simply: pants. Does a great disservice to the outstanding 70s disaster movie, dumbed-down to fit into a 21st century, 'America is great, terrorists are bad', mould. The ship capsises not because of a freak wave, but because of - yawn - a terrorist bomb. Yes, that old chestnut - an international terrorist network, a fiercely loyal American good guy etc. etc. etc. Cheap, shoddy cash-in. I'd give it no stars if I could. Highly implausible, Cliche-ridden, stereotypical (basically anyone with an accent is a bad guy), pure American CHEEEEEEEEESE.
bientot sur m6
) et WELLER ET HAUER...
