 POSEIDON
Sea movies fail. That was the accepted
wisdom until James Cameron sank Leo
DiCaprio, and the world paid
to watch a movie to which everyone
knew the ending.
A similar lack of suspense surrounds
Poseidon, a remake of 1972's camp
classic The Poseidon Adventure. But
in the hands of Wolfgang Petersen
- who went underwater for The
Perfect Storm and Das
Boot - it's a surprisingly
good thriller that delights the eye
without taxing the mind.
Where the original floated a cast
of Oscar-winners with three-dimensional
characters, this one opts for lesser-known
(ie. cheaper) names with minimal backstories.
The plot's equally sparing - the ship's
down within the first half-hour, leaving
Kurt Russell to lead
his fellow passengers to fight for
survival as the ocean rises. Richard
Dreyfuss also returns to
the screen, and this time he needs
a smaller boat.
It's a technical triumph, and special
effects outstrip human drama all the
way. That's no loss as the supporting
cast cannot do the heavy lifting,
so Petersen gets to ice the irritating
ones with all the glee of Alan Sugar.
There's the odd surprise too, giving
the film a shock value which elevates
it beyond the usual blockbuster. It's
missing Shelley Winters,
for sure, but Poseidon stays afloat
with ease.
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