Rating: 
Summary: The Best Disaster Film of All Time.
Review: In the 1970s, Hollywood had a fascination with disaster movies. So many of them were made that parodies of them were made (AIRPORT and AIRPLANE e.g). However, one of the first and best disaster films of all time is THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE.The movie takes place on the deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The Poseidon is on it's final voyage to Athens, Greece. The ship is top heavy and the captain wants to stop and put on more weight, but the new owners won't have it. Time is money and they want the Poseidon in Greece for the New Year so the ship is ordered ahead at full speed. Unfortunately a major underwater earthquake takes place off the coast of Crete sending a massive tidal wave over 150 ft high crashing into the luxury ship. The vessle capsizes and the passengers only hope for escape is to climb from the top of the ship to the bottom. The movie stars a supremely talented cast that includes 15 Academy Award winners. The special effects are still impressive, even more so considering that there was no CGI back in the 1970s. The story is strong and though the plot is interesting, the film focuses more on character and relationships than just action and excitement (a lesson more modern movies could learn from). The dialogue is real, yet never offensive or cheesy. The score underlies the film's action, adding to the film's effect, yet never overpowering the action that takes place on the screen. It was written by John Williams and his musical underscoring foreshadows the master memorable movie music composer that he has become. As a sidenote, I found it interesting that Leslie Neilson played the Captain in this movie and that he later went on to gain fame in his parody of disaster flicks. Overall, THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE is a two hour treat worth watching. It is the best disaster flick ever made. It's a movie that not only has historical cinematic interest, but also stands on its own as a piece of moviemaking. The DVD includes a remastered widescreen version of the movie, the original theatrical trailer, and biographies of the cast.
Rating:
Summary: An epic, moving story of disaster and the human spirit
Review: I will resist the urge to compare this 1972 classic disaster movie to James Cameron's Titanic because The Poseidon Adventure tells a very different kind of story. The first thing you notice about this film is its truly remarkable cast; there are no less than 15 Academy Award winners showcased in this epic film. While the special effects are very good for the most part, this film deals much more with the personal stories of the would-be survivors than it does the actual disaster. The Poseidon is carrying hundreds of passengers to Greece on its final voyage; the representative of the owner orders the captain to proceed at full speed, despite the captain's (Leslie Nielsen) concern about insufficient ballast after weathering a fierce storm at sea. As the passengers celebrate the New Year at midnight, the ship is hit with a 90-foot tidal wave caused by an underwater earthquake and turns completely over in the water. Gene Hackman plays a maverick preacher named Scott who leads a group of survivors in a bid to save themselves, but only a select number of people follow him because the ship's purser insists everyone should stay where they are. Reverend Scott's followers include a man and wife (Jack Albertson and Shelley Winters) who were on their way to see their grandson for the first time, a young lady (the exceedingly cute, pre-Dynasty Pamela Sue Martin) and her annoying but generally helpful little brother (Eric Shea), an incredibly loud and obnoxious former cop (Ernest Borgnine) and his equally annoying former prostitute wife (Stella Stevens), a hardworking and all-around nice fellow (Red Buttons), a singer (Carol Lynley), and a shipmate (Roddy McDowell). Their journey "up" through the bowels of the ship in search of salvation is an arduous one that some individuals will not live to complete. The journey will be one of self-discovery and emotional trauma for all involved, though. Shelley Winters is absolutely wonderful in her role, although I myself found some of the comments by her and others about her weight being a burden to the group quite troubling. Red Buttons is also terrific, outshining all others in his humanity. Naturally, though, Reverend Scott is the most fascinating character of them all, and Hackman gives one of his finest performances ever in this role. His unorthodox religious views and behavior are brought into sharp focus at the end, as his character comes to take on a strange martyrdom both similar and wholly dissimilar to that of Christ himself. The Poseidon Adventure clearly ranks among the best disaster films ever made. This is a very human drama, with some characters sacrificing their very lives for others, others complaining and rebelling at every turn, and the most vulnerable souls clinging to the hope of survival and placing all of their faith in a man who promises them safety and salvation. Allegorical questions such as why God allows the kind of human disaster that takes place on the Poseidon are fairly obvious, making this a motion picture that will stay with you long after the story is concluded.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Review: The Poseidon Adventure is definitely the best of the many disaster movies, I watched it on one of those classic movie channels, I first watched and taped it in full-screen and then when I saw it was being shown in wide-screen I watched and taped it but unfortunately my very old VCR broke and the tapes I recorded the movie on are no good and I would like to have this movie in my movie collection again, I recommend the movie on either the wide-screen video or the wide-screen DVD but I think I will choose the DVD. Okay the dialogue is kind of cheesy but I find that to be part of the fun of the movie, it's 70s campiness is enjoyable and the special effects are awesome.
Rating:
Summary: FUN TO WATCH EVEN 33 YEARS LATER!
Review: 33 years after I first saw this film in the theaters when it first premiered, I still find it FUN TO WATCH!! The disaster movie to end all disaster movies, this film simply boasts the finest all star cast ever assembled for a disaster film. The reviews here pretty much tell the tale and I would love to see this film out on DVD with commentaries from the cast!! With the exception of Jack Albertson and Roddy McDowall I believe all the rest are still with us. Who will ever forget Shelley Winters 'death' scene...."life always matters very much...." Or Stella Steven's scene stealing at practically every turn. Ernest Borgnine's altercation's with self-righteous preacher?? Gene Hackman get better and better with each viewing. Pamela Sue Martin's acting is really deplorable in this movie but her brother, Robin, played by Eric Shea is the character that 'knows' where everything is located on the ship!! He isn't a brat, just a precocious, loveable kid. Jack Albertson's caring for his wife (Shelley)will tug at your heartstrings. Carol Lynley's (Nonnie) portrayal of a scared, shocked, yet beautiful chanteuse is right on the money. The character that holds the picture together with his common sense and sensitivity as the voice of reason is Red Buttons (Mr. Martin). It isn't hard to figure out at the end that he has found the 'pretty wife' (Nonnie) he's never had time for. And his lambasting Borgnine (Rogo) at the end is priceless!! McDowall's part should have been longer and I would have liked to have seen him survive. I would have liked to have seen them all survive but Steven's (Linda), Winters (Belle) and Rev. Scott's (Hackman) deaths are essential and the picture wouldn't have had the same impact without them. McDowall, though, should have lived. He was killed off much too early in the film and if the others held on in the shaft that blew up, why didn't he? That didn't make sense to me. His injured leg didn't have anything to do with it, in my opinion. This movie is one of those rewatchables years after the fact!!!
I can't wait for it to come out on DVD!!
Rating: 
Summary: Ah, so that's why Captain Nemo was in love with the sea
Review: Reviewer Edgratto's feverish imaginings surrounding the priest and Pamela Sue Martin may well have been gratified had the producers stuck to the original book. Bizarrely, characters would pair off and have sex in various corners during their quest to reach the bowels of the ship. Pamela Sue Martin...Caroly Lynley....Stela Stevens.....Chalk one major missed opportunity. Especially in widescreen. The mere thought of hotpants kept Gene Hackman alive underwater ten minutes after the average man would of exhaled. Remember that the next time you get on an ocean liner. Cheese complainants also got off lightly. In the book the priest makes a purely existential gesture of such overblown preposterousness that ten pounds of Stilton would seem digestible in comparison.
Rating:
Summary: A classic and a masterpiece.
Review: And that is all I have to say.
Rating:
Summary: Stands the Test of Time
Review: This film stands the test of time. It is 30 years old, but it is still good -- better than many films on the market today. I had never seen this film, but it was the last film my parents-in-law had seen in the theaters! They didn't like the problems dealing with a theater (some things never change), so they only buy or rent movies now. I thought I would try the movie. I was pleased. Some of the special effects are noticeably older, but very few. For the most part, much of it could have been filmed a couple years ago. Part of this is that a lot of the "effects" are real (as opposed to so many poorly done cheap digital effects today). The acting is good, with a little too much of the 1960s style where some actors think they have to yell or the microphone won't pick it up. Besides that, pretty good. The action is very good, with a lot of turns and little surprises. It may not be as good as "Speed", but few things are (if you think "Speed" is not great, try viewing it again -- I often forget how good it really is). It is better than most of these types of films of the 70s, especially the mid-70s. The transfer to DVD is good. Sound and video come across very well. Give it a try.
Rating: 
Summary: poseidon still turns heads
Review: Hands down this is the apex of 70s disaster films.The script is a little weak in parts, and some opening scenes are cheesy,but one quickly forgets this as the story progresses. Ive read people dissing the fashions and special effects, but as far as 70s films go these are not bad.The scene when the ship turns turtle is still impressive,and one considers there was no cgi,ilm or anything,its even more so. Finally, for all you nitpickers, the fashions are not THAT bad.Ive seen stars strut down the red carpet at 2002 awards show wearing gowns almost like those worn by female extras in this film!Finally,I get annoyed at people blaming the 70s for Stella Stevens wearing a pink tuxedo shirt...If something like this happened in real life,wearing a sausage skin gown would hamper any climbing activites,so what to do,have your husband give you his shirt of course! Makes sense to me.
Rating:
Summary: You would never get tired of seeing this film
Review: Even though it is nearly 30 years after the fact that this movie came out, the film crew did a great job of making this look realistic at much less a price that must have been spent to make "Titanic". Ernest Borgnine , who was in damn good shape in this movie is like the Archie Bunker of the ship with his wise cracks and Gene Hackman comes off incredibly beyond a super hero status.
Just think of what could have happened if him and Pamela Sue Martin were to find a quiet space for themselves on that boat WOOOOWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shelly Winters is the heavy woman on the ship who shows incredible bravery. Every time she has to hold her breathe to swim under water in that scene I see if I could do it like maybe most of you. If you were to mix a 1/3 of Titanic and 1/4 of All in the Family and a teaspoon of Days of our lives" you would have this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Classic disaster camp flick
Review: "The Poseidon Adventure" was the first movie that had viewers heading back to theatres for a third, fourth, or fifth showing. To know that it almost wasn't made because 20th-Century Fox didn't want to flip the $5 million bill makes it all the more incredible. It grossed $100 million (that's ALOT for the early 70's) and was the #1 box office draw of 1973.
Now, I am a bit biased when it comes "The Poseidon Adventure." Movie fan that I am, this is the first one I remember going to see at the drive-in with my parents in December, 1972. And what a first movie! Imagine, in 1972 (when we were getting schmalzy film fare like "Love Story") watching an enormous tidal wave over turn a Queen Mary-like luxury liner. William Creber and Irwin Allen did a top notch job in filming a very believable "hell turned upside down."
"Poseidon" is based on a best selling 1969 novel by Paul Gallico, a tour de force of disaster at sea. The translation to film showed the characters becoming pretty cardboard and the dialouge being watered down so much the early scenes are laughably bad, but the special effects are superior for the time and one can't help but root for the wonderful cast. Gene Hackman, Shelley Winters (in an Oscar nominated roll), Ernest Borgnine, Stella Stevens, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Pamela Sue-Martin (pre-Nancy Drew and pre-Dynasty), and even Leslie Nielson in a dramatic roll as the captain.
Dated? Sure. Campy? You bet! But "The Poseidon Adventure" will always remain the beloved disaster classic.
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