It goes without saying that this film is nowhere near as great a film as the original "Poseidon Adventure." However, it is in no way a bad film. Everyone knows the story of the film. A bunch of rowdy, filthy rich for the most part, and carefree passengers of a cruise ship are busy celebrating the New Year with Fergie when a giant wave flips the ship over. Before the crash of the wave, we get a peek into the lives of some random passengers, especially the lives of Kurt Russel's and Josh Lucas's characters. These are the people that we spend the entire movie with, that is until they are picked off one by one in often heroic, yet sometimes simply bizarre death sequences. These sequences keep the movie moving with a high level of intensity. Still, the side conflicts of these characters seem very small in the whole scheme of things, and are often distracting. The acting also provides no real life savers, sending us plunging into frustration. The real saving factor of this film is the special effects. Oscar-nominated effects are the driving force of this film, and they're pretty darn good. We're treated to stunning visuals, epic sound effects, grandeur location sweeps, and an occasional performance by Fergie's nightclub singing character. This film is filled with crowd-pleasing moments, such as the giant wave crashing on to the boat and Fergie's death (did I say that out loud). Though it is rather mawkish and ridiculous at times, Poseidon does eventually deliver.
