Overview
Poseidon is a 2006 American action–disaster film directed and co-produced by Wolfgang Petersen. It is a remake of the classic survival story originally based on Paul Gallico’s novel The Poseidon Adventure (1969), which had its first major film adaptation in 1972. Set aboard the RMS Poseidon, an opulent ocean liner which was celebrating New Year’s Eve with festivities at the time, the narrative revolves around a band of survivors attempting to escape after a rogue wave strikes the ship.
Plot Summary
The film begins on New Year’s Eve aboard the RMS Poseidon where lavish celebrations are ongoing in the grand ballroom. Among the guests are Robert Ramsey, former mayor and firefighter of New York City; his daughter Jennifer accompanied by her boyfriend Christian; Dylan Johns, a professional gambler; single mother Maggie James with her young son Conor; architect Richard Nelson; stowaway Elena Morales; and nightclub singer Gloria.
Suddenly, the ship’s crew sight a large rogue wave approaching their position. Their attempts to turn the vessel prove futile as they brace for impact which causes not only loss of buoyancy but positional inversion—leaving Titanic style aftermath along with many lives either deceased or temporally imprisoned within various compartments of the luxurious vessel.
Having survived the first wave, Captain Bradford instructs the passengers to remain seated and wait for assistance. Nonetheless, Dylan tries to rally everyone by stating that their best chance is to go through the hull of the ship which is now above them. A small group comprising of Robert, Maggie, Conor, Richard and a few others join him.
The upside down ship posed numerous challenges for survivors including: flooded corridors, fire, explosions, falling debris as well as structural collapses. Many group members perished. Elena died in a flooded tunnel while Larry was crushed by machinery. Valentine also dies sacrificing himself during a shaft climb for the rest of his team. In a final heroic act, Robert reverses the ship’s bow thruster engine which stops its spinning propellers and creates an escape route but drowns in the process.
The rest of the survivors; Dylan, Maggie, Conor, Jennifer, Christian and Richard are able to pass through the opening where they find an inflatable raft to float on. They watched as Poseidon sunk deeper into the ocean while waiting for rescue.
Cast and Crew
Main Cast
Dylan Johns, the reluctant leader in a crisis-turned-gambler role is played by Josh Lucas.
Robert Ramsey, a hyper protective father and ex-firefighter is played by Kurt Russell.
Richard Dreyfuss stars as Richard Nelson, an architect who has seen better days.
Emmy Rossum plays the character of Jennifer Ramsey: Robert’s daughter.
Jacinda Barrett portrays Maggie James, a frantic mother fighting to keep her son safe.
Jimmy Bennett interprets Conor James – Maggie’s son.
Mike Vogel acts out Christian Sanders, who is Jennifer’s boyfriend.
Mía Maestro enacts Elena Morales, a seeking stowaway wanting freedom as well as independence.
Kevin Dillon plays Lucky Larry, a boastful passenger.
Andre Braugher assumes the role of Captain Michael Bradford.
Crew:
The team consists of Wolfgang Petersen (director), Mark Protosevich (screenplay), John Seale (cinematography), Peter Honess (editing), Klaus Badelt (music), with ILM and MPC working on the VFX alongside others.
Industrial Light & Magic completed visual effects along with several other companies including MPC.
Production And Effects
Known for maritime films such as Das Boot and The Perfect Storm – Schneider was brought on to Poseidon for his expertise.
Poseidon received elaborate set construction featuring sets that were built upside down and right side up. These sets were placed over water tanks which would flood repeatedly simulating ship sinking.
The visual effects were a major component of the film’s appeal. ILM created a highly detailed digital model of the Poseidon, while MPC and Scanline contributed to the interior flooding effects. RealFlow and PhysBAM are two examples of software that were used to achieve realistic simulations of water. Over 600 visual effects shots were incorporated into the film, enhancing the viewer’s experience through action and imagery.
Box Office Performance
Poseidon premiered on May 12, 2006 at Tribeca Film Festival. It brought in approximately $22 million during its opening weekend, eventually accumulating around $60.7 million domestically and $121 million internationally for a total gross of $181.7 million worldwide.
Despite bringing in this revenue, the film was deemed disappointing due to its production budget exceeding $160 million alongside high marketing costs, leading analysts to estimate that Warner Bros was poised to incur losses between 70-80 million dollars.
Critical Reception
Responses to Poseidon were negative overall, with an average rating of 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics cited a lack of originality as the movie’s focus on development yielded another empty shell in a sea of archetypal films that is reminiscent of other titles. Metacritic scored it at 50 out of 100 which translates into ‘average’, but not in an altrustically biased explaining way. CinemaScore attributed a grade “B” rating to the picture which indicates audiences perceived it favorably.
The film’s explosive effects earned industry praise, though most professional critics noted the shallow characterisation and antiquated dialogue. A handful acknowledged that the technical finesse and pacing were above par for standard Hollywood blockbusters, leading to culmination however emotionally poignant engagement was glaringly absent.
Accolades and Home Media
Poseidon did receive Academy Award nominations for Best Visual Effects alongside other awards from The Visual Effects Society marking the division vividly poorly while also successfully capturing visual understanding through artifice commendably. At least one nomination ,however extremely inconsiderate it seemed for a Golden Raspberry Award due to Worst Remake portrayed it rather viciously claiming that inartful receptivity like this is plausible in todays cinema landscape.
DVD versions came out August 22nd, 2006 but sales figures boasted over seven million dollars on release boasting feature length Anchor á Rouge Waves Statement Unaccounted: Rogue Destruction: A Behind The Scenes Featurette “Shipmate’s Diary.” US DVD revenue skyrocketed towards thirty million although bespeaking solely numbers actual depiction showed one around twenty-seven million dollars spent.
Conclusion
A disaster film with lavish visual flair, Poseidon (2006) features stunning animation of dramatic floods and intense action sequences. It is particularly notable for its pacing and direction, as well as its use of visual effects.
Despite the captivating nature of the spectacle, the film suffers from a lack of originality and emotional engagement due to reliance on cliché character tropes common to disaster films. This makes the film appealing primarily to viewers seeking an adrenaline fueled survival story.
Poseidon is still regarded as an impressive addition to the disaster film genre, remembered for its immersive flood sequences and ambitious set design. It serves as a visually striking counterpart in comparison to it’s 1972 counterpart which holds more nostalgic value.
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