Die Höllenfahrt der Poseidon

Irwin Allen produced this all-star disaster yarn about a luxury cruise ship that is overturned by a freak tidal wave on New Year's Eve, and the survivor's desperate attempts at survival, as they try to reach safety and eventual rescue through the top(well,the bottom now!) of the ship.

Cast includes Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Stella Stevens, Roddy McDowall, Carol Lynley, Pamela Sue Martin, Red Buttons, Jack Albertson, Shelley Winters, and Leslie Nielsen as the Captain.

Well directed by Ronald Neame, this film works despite the contrived premise because of the cast and interesting script, which balances seriousness with humor effectively, with many memorable scenes.

for a disaster flick,this is one of the better ones.for 1972,it is well made and has some good effects.it's pretty convincing also thought the movie was compelling and touching,and sad,all at the same time.since we get to know the characters a bit,you can't help but feel for them in their(what seems hopeless)situation.i did think there were a few stereotypical characters,which was annoying,but the acting was decent enough.plus,the fact that the survivors had to go through what amounted to a labyrinthine maze as they tried to get out,really added to the feeling of hopelessness of the situation.i was also surprised at who ultimately survived and who didn't.for a nearly 2 hour movie,this one moves along pretty good.i was engrossed throughout.for me,The Poseidon adventure is a strong 8/10

'The Poseidon Adventure' is a supremely entertaining flick from the days when blockbusters were amongst the best movies out there. Rather than the worst.

Sure, it's corny and it's histrionics can seem overly familiar, but it still packs a punch. This is due to the fact that it's played completely straight. Well, relatively straight in the case of the Borgnine/ Stevens double-act. And it achieves real dramatic resonance from it's allegorical plot line. It pretty much created the template for the 'disaster' film.

Favourite bits:

Red Buttons' funky little walk up on deck.

The way Pamela Sue Martin and her date boogie down when they hit the dance floor.

Pamela Sue Martin's legs. Ditto Carol Lynley.

Lynley's hippy brother.

Roddy McDowall's accent and dialogue (consisting mostly of "yes, sir" and "I think so, sir").

Ernest Borgnine learning that kids can be useful as well as merely irritating.

Hackman's "Please, God - not THIS woman" schtick and death scene.

All of Stella Stevens' wardrobe.

Although the film was made in 1972, the special effects still stand up quite well even in this CGI era. While you might expect actors like Hackman and Winters to "walk" through their roles in a film like this simply "for the money", the cast does a solid job. Buttons, known for his proclivity to "ham it up", treats this role more seriously like he did in "Sayonara", and as a result is okay. Carol Lynley, never a great actress to begin with, gives the poorest performance, turning her character into a whiner. In the story, the ship is capsized at midnight on New Years Eve, and the story proceeds from there to the conclusion hours later when it is daylight. The action is continuous, which makes it more believable. As of this date, aside from the "kids" Pamela Sue Martin and Eric Shea, Gener Hackman is the only cast member still living.

The clothes and the likes are really the only thing that date this film. 35 years old, and it still holds up well. No CGI featured, and none required. I have not read the book of this film, so I cannot say if it is an accurate adaptation, in the spirit of the original. I will say that it is a well-produced piece of fiction. The plot is quite good. The writing is good, and has very realistic, great moments. Dialog is well-done, and delivered equally well. The characters are credible and well-written. There is a reasonable amount of development and background for them. The special effects are undeniably excellently done. They are convincing throughout. Nature itself becomes the threat, with realistic physics. The camera-work and editing are nicely done, save for an awkward cut or two. Cinematography is effective. The pacing is solid for the whole film. As far as the technical aspect goes, the film is great. The acting is of high quality. The kid isn't the most annoying ever seen. The tension is admirable. I haven't watched particularly many disaster films... in fact, this film may be 50% of the total amount... so I can't say if this is an outstanding one. I'm not sure you can really watch this without noticing the theme of passivity versus activity... or, blind faith versus a more critical, independent faith. The film takes a definite stance on that. All in all, entertaining and worth your time. I recommend this to any fan of the actors and/or the genre. 7/10