Featured Audience Ratings

• Universal D

  
  While the "disaster flick" moniker certainly applies, here is actually a pretty good adventure tale of escape as a old luxury liner capsizes, forcing an intrepid few to attempt their own rescue through the ravaged remains of the topsy turvy steel boat. A guilty pleasure!

• Michael E

  
  Incredible, i saw this movie at a screening in Chicago, where three of the actors from the movie were there, Stella Stevens, Ernest borgenine, and someone else but i dont remember her name. I wasn't expecting much from this movie but i was blown away by how spectacular it was. It… More
  Incredible, i saw this movie at a screening in Chicago, where three of the actors from the movie were there, Stella Stevens, Ernest borgenine, and someone else but i dont remember her name. I wasn't expecting much from this movie but i was blown away by how spectacular it was. It was very realistic, the drama was so human, that it was spectacular. The actors all played fantastic roles, and the movie really had guts to kill off 5 main characters. Plus when one of them dies, the husband of said dead person (played by grandpa joe from willy wonka) said her name and weeped over her body i burst into tears, and i did that several times in this movie. And i liked it better than titanic for two reasons, one it has more main characters that you like so much that you don't want them to die, and two i personally think that it was better because of how it got straight to the punch, and not have to wait for 2 hours just waiting for the iceberg to hit, because like 20 minutes in it just smacks you with the ship turning over by an unexpected tidal wave after an earthquake. It shows how these 13 people (about 100 didnt go with) have to struggle with each other in order to get out of the ship and find safety, and you latch on to each of the characters as the movie progresses.

• Tyler R

  
  When most people think of disaster films today they'll think 2012 or Disaster Movie, but The Poseidon Adventure completely revolutionized the genre. It has all the elements: Group of survivors, big budget special effects and as you may have guessed, a disaster. This particular… More
  When most people think of disaster films today they'll think 2012 or Disaster Movie, but The Poseidon Adventure completely revolutionized the genre. It has all the elements: Group of survivors, big budget special effects and as you may have guessed, a disaster. This particular disaster happens to be a huge wave crashing into a cruise liner called the Poseidon and it ends up being turned upside down. Now a group of survivors have to make their way out and that's the story. The story plays out really well as a matter of fact, which is saying a lot considering all the special effects that could have just as easily overshadowed the plot. One of my favorite things about the film were the characters. I cared about each character and I wanted them to survive. Something like that doesn't usually play out as perfectly as in this film. The acting is also terrific by each and every actor. My personal favorite performance was Gene Hackman as the untraditional reverand. He does have faith in God, but he doesn't think that an afterlife is an excuse to just die. He wants to lead the survivors out of the overturned cruise liner and he most definitely has the will to live. The special effects for this film won the Oscar for best special effects and rightfully so. The scene where the ship overturns is just awesome to watch with all the people smashing into stuff and hanging onto the tables that are now attached to the ceiling. (Technically it's still the floor, but you know what I mean.) A lot of people like to compare this movie with Titanic, and I do understand that, but I prefer Poseidon Adventure over Titanic. I did like Titanic, but it's a flawed movie. Just for the sake of comparing, Titanic's sinking scene was more emotional and dramatic, but the sinking in this movie was more realistic with the confusion, chaos and more practical special effects. If you like disaster movies then you're most likely going to like The Poseidon Adventure. It has all the characters, talent and entertainment any avid movie buff would want in a movie like this.

• Spencer S

  
  During the seventies a slew of disaster films were made with large ensemble casts, including Airport and Towering Inferno, all of which have decrepit Hollywood icons from forty years back, blockbuster stars of the time, and many unknowns who overact with overblown watery eyes and… More
  During the seventies a slew of disaster films were made with large ensemble casts, including Airport and Towering Inferno, all of which have decrepit Hollywood icons from forty years back, blockbuster stars of the time, and many unknowns who overact with overblown watery eyes and whimpering deaths. This iconic disaster film is one of the most quoted, satirized, and parodied of the genre, and one of the most memorable. Based on a best selling novel, Poseidon follows a group of survivors of an overturned ocean liner, the only ones left after the bow starts to flood. Led by an unconventional and especially alternative preacher who swears, pushes, and grates on everyone's nerves, the group's numbers dwindle with a long line of deaths. Much of the acclaim or at least the fascination with this film are the visually distinct images of the overturned ship. While explosions, flooding, and many bloodless deaths go on around them, they grumble, lose hope, and keep persevering with the praise of the preacher. Some amazing casting let us see the Jewish mother character played by the bottle blonde gypsy herself Shelley Winters, the always bawdy Gene Hackman, obstinate and hard headed Ernest Borgnine as a no nonsense detective who questions Hackman's preacher at every turn, a wispy Red Buttons, and a quick cameo from Roddy McDowall, most famous for Planet of the Apes. The sets themselves aren't quite as spectacular as the updated version must be, and the effects all either include rushing water or falling debris from the bottom of the ship down to the top. The plot wasn't significant, and the action wasn't anything tense or unnerving, but the over the top death scenes, the effects, and the strange performances from Winters and Hackman kept us watching. It was great to watch screen legends debase themselves to put on a show for the audience and the concept for the story was actually pretty well followed through. I just wish this had been done years later when they could have built the proper suspense with decent effects.

• Jeff "

  
  The Poseidon Adventure is one of the greatest disaster films ever made. Along with The Towering Inferno, The Poseidon Adventure is one of the essential films of the genre. The film has tremendous action and dramatic elements that recent disaster films lack. Above that there are some… More
  The Poseidon Adventure is one of the greatest disaster films ever made. Along with The Towering Inferno, The Poseidon Adventure is one of the essential films of the genre. The film has tremendous action and dramatic elements that recent disaster films lack. Above that there are some terrific performances here as well. As far as Disaster films are concerned, you could say that the whole genre exploded with this film. The film may look dated by today's standards, but it still offers great entertainment. The Poseidon Adventure has a good cast of talented actors and they all deliver great performance. At times the film is flawed, but in the end, you end up not caring because there's so much going on. Unlike today, disaster films of the 70's were better because they had more character development and plot development and didn't really rely on great special effects to create effective tension. This is the case with The Poseidon Adventure. This is a terrific disaster film with great acting and a pretty good story as well. I felt that this was one of the best of the genre, and that it's also a classic. They remade this great film, and of course it failed to capture the drama that this film did so well. If you want a terrific disaster film to watch, see this one. The film may look dated, but its one of the best ever made. For what it is, The Poseidon Adventure is an entertaining ride about a group of survivors who must escape a capsized ocean liner. If that interests you, you should give it a shot.

• AJ V

  
  Another movie in the series of disaster flicks of the 70s with an all star cast, involving a bunch of people trapped on a sinking ship. It's an average disaster movie, not great, but entertaining nonetheless.

• Tim S

  
  A very dated disaster classic that's actually more laughable today than compelling.

• Anthony L

  
  1980's Saturday evenings sat in front of the telly with my Gran and my dog watching the ITV matinee movie. Fond memories! Would be closely followed by Blockbusters and The A-Team! Perfect.

• Jason O

  
  For years I have been hearing about how good "The Poseidon Adventure" was, and I've been wanting to see it for a long time. I finally saw it and I definitely see what all the fuss was about. Passengers onboard the Poseidon ship are terrorized when the ship is caught in… More
  For years I have been hearing about how good "The Poseidon Adventure" was, and I've been wanting to see it for a long time. I finally saw it and I definitely see what all the fuss was about. Passengers onboard the Poseidon ship are terrorized when the ship is caught in a storm and is overturned. It's up to Reverand Frank Scott (Gene Hackman), who becomes the leader wanting to save everybody by getting them out of the ship alive before it sinks, to convince the passengers to trust him and come along with him as a team. "The Poseidon Adventure" is one of the most exciting and interesting survival movies ever made. It has great acting by everybody, an interesting plot, and great special effects. When you see the underwater explosions and the scene where people are hanging on to an upside down table after the ship overturns, you'll see why it won awards for best special effects of the year. I recommend anybody to get "The Poseidon Adventure" and witness a great, classic movie. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. One of the great classics of its genre, and better than the remake.

• Sarah G

  
  Review coming soon....

• danny d

  
  i love that they tried to make a preacher the hero, but when that preacher is an arrogant man with bad theology it doesnt work. as the hero, hackman's character was not likeable at all, and i never found myself caring much for any of the characters in the film. decent effects… More
  i love that they tried to make a preacher the hero, but when that preacher is an arrogant man with bad theology it doesnt work. as the hero, hackman's character was not likeable at all, and i never found myself caring much for any of the characters in the film. decent effects for 72', but overrated as a film.

• Ken S

  
  Thoroughly entertaining disaster flick, but it's no Towering Inferno

• Jason S

  
  Good times. A classic in the disaster flick genre. The cast is excellent and the action is pretty good as well. Gene Hackman is great.

• Lafe F

  
  A great disaster action movie, which has a unique setting of an upside-down ocean liner which must be escaped by an interesting assortment of characters; none of them get too annoying, so it's nice when some of them make it to their rescue.

• xGary X

  
  Entertainingly laughable 70s disaster flick full of hysterical women and gruff manly men trying to escape a capsized ship. Hackman and Borgnine butt heads alpha male style saving the stereotypical damsels in distress as their shed their clothes at strategic intervals. Good fun, and a… More
  Entertainingly laughable 70s disaster flick full of hysterical women and gruff manly men trying to escape a capsized ship. Hackman and Borgnine butt heads alpha male style saving the stereotypical damsels in distress as their shed their clothes at strategic intervals. Good fun, and a damn sight more entertaining than bloody Titanic.

• Dean !

  
  A good diaster flick from years ago. Has a great cast and good stunts for the time.

• Steve K

  
  Shelley Winters couldn't die fast enough.

• jay n

  
  shelley winters upside down, how can you go wrong?

• Dean M

  
  This film is great disaster, highly imaginative and lustily-produced meller that socks over the dramatic struggle of 10 passengers to save themselves after an ocean liner capsizes. Gene Hackman is the best performance as a free-talking minister who keeps his cool and assumes… More
  This film is great disaster, highly imaginative and lustily-produced meller that socks over the dramatic struggle of 10 passengers to save themselves after an ocean liner capsizes. Gene Hackman is the best performance as a free-talking minister who keeps his cool and assumes leadership of the small group.

• Aaron N

  
  Linda Rogo: Jesus Christ! What happened? Reverend Frank Scott: We've turned over. Before watching this movie, I was counting on it to be very cheesy. I was surprised, upon seeing it, that it actually did a good job with it's story and characters. I cared for these people… More
  Linda Rogo: Jesus Christ! What happened? Reverend Frank Scott: We've turned over. Before watching this movie, I was counting on it to be very cheesy. I was surprised, upon seeing it, that it actually did a good job with it's story and characters. I cared for these people and felt reasonably bad when some of then died. Considered the grandaddy of all disaster flicks, a giant sea vessel called the Poseidon flips over because of a giant wave in the middle of the Ocean. The movie boasts 15 academy award winning actors and a big score by John Williams. Even Leslie Nealson makes it in with a small role as the captain of the ship, and that makes me smile in a good way. Once things really get moving, Gene Hackman leads the pack as a reverand trying to keep everyone together. He is joined by a disaster movie cast including: A tough cop (borgnine) and his wife (a former prostitute), An old jewish couple ( one a fat, former swimmer), A little boy and his older sister, an injured waiter, a man (who today would be considered a metro sexual), and the singer lady of band, who is now all dead. They move from top to bottom of the ship. The movie makes a lot of good use of it's sets, special effects and the overall concept, and I can see why this is held in high regard, the movie is done well. Sure there is a layer of cheese throughout, but its my kind of cheese...muenster, not limburger, and I like it.

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