Characters Swim but "Poseidon" Sinks by Homer Yen (c) 2006
Well, what can you really say about a by-the-numbers action flick such as "Poseidon"? It does everything it's supposed to do, just like a frozen Weight Watchers TV dinner. It's got various items that make up a complete meal. It looks presentable. And it serves up hot in a short amount of time.
"Poseidon" has to sail through some tough waters to win the audience over. With the always-increasing improvement of CGI effects, the "wow" factor seems to diminish with each passing blockbuster release. After watching special effects masterpieces like "The Lord of the Rings" and even "King Kong", grand effects are becoming the rule and not the exception. Yet, it's still undeniably fun watching a rogue wave capsize a large passenger ocean liner.
Disaster movies, of course, are not really about the disasters. It's really about the band of survivors that are thrown together and work together to find a way to survive. Although a great amount of people survive the initial throe of the wave, only a handful of them decide to take it upon themselves to seek higher ground. They include professional poker player Dylan (Josh Lucas), heroic firefighter Robert (Kurt Russell), his daughter Jennifer (Emmy Rossum) who is in tow with her fiancé Christian (Mike Vogel), narcissistic Larry (Kevin Dillon), gay archetict Richard (Richard Dreyfuss), cute stowaway Elena (Mia Maestro), and a mother and son (Jacinda Barrett and Jimmy Bennett).
Boats don't probably stay afloat too long when upside down. And, there desperate plan involves journeying towards the bottom of the boat (which means climbing upwards) so that they hopefully escape through the propeller shaft. There trek is interrupted by all sorts of hazards that they must negotiate. This includes raging fires, blocked passages, gas leaks, and of course, the rising water.
I think that part of my reservation was the fact that there wasn't too much opportunity for character development. There are two unique points that the film could've taken advantage of. One involved the gay architect who could've spoken more about his views or about his reflection on his life. His character had more possibilities. Another involved Dylan, who early on encourages a life and death decision that you never see from leaders. Also, rising water doesn't make the best enemy. Maybe an alien or two running amuck would've heightened the suspense.
The good news is that there won't be a sequel. But, if they try to do something like this again, I have a better idea. Let's stock the ship with the likes of Jason Bourne and Ethan Hunt and James Bond and other adventurers. And then for fun, add in Mr. Bean. Watch the egos fly. Now, that would be interesting.
Grade: C+
S: 0 out of 3 L: 0 out of 3 V: 2 out of 3
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