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Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Roddy McDowall ... see more see more... , Stella Stevens , Jack Albertson , Jan Arvan , Bob Hastings , Pamela Sue Martin , Sheila Mathews , Leslie Nielsen , Arthur O'Connell , Fred Sadoff , David Sharpe , Eric Shea , Byron Webster , Shelley Winters , John Crawford , Erik Nelson

The Poseidon, an ocean liner larger than the Queens Elizabeth and Mary combined, is charting its course on New Year's Eve. Just after midnight, Captain Harrison (Leslie Nielsen) spots the mother of al... read more read more...l tidal waves. It is the last thing that Harrison and practically everyone else onboard sees before drowning -- the Poseidon is turned upside down, with only a handful of survivors. The ten lucky ones -- including Mike Rogo (Ernest Borgnine), Linda Rogo (Stella Stevens), Acres (Roddy McDowall), Belle Rosen (Shelley Winters), and Manny Rosen (Jack Albertson) -- led by no-nonsense minister Frank Scott (Gene Hackman), desperately attempt to climb from the top of the ship (now submerged) to the bottom (now "the top"). The film's theme song, "The Morning After," sung by Maureen McGovern, earned an Oscar. In addition, The Poseidon Adventure received the Special Achievement Award for Special Effects; L.B. Abbott and A.D. Flowers were the recipients. A sequel, Beyond the Poseidon Adventure, came out in 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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72% liked it

45,977 ratings

Critics

79% liked it

24 critics

PG, 1 hr. 57 min.

Directed by: Ronald Neame

Release Date: December 12, 1972

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DVD Release Date: December 18, 2001

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Stats: 1,675 reviews

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Leslie Nielsen as Captain Jack Albertson, Shelley Winters & Red Buttons in The Poseidon Adventure Jack Albertson & Shelley Winters in The Poseidon Adventure Two men of God with very different views. The Rosens Explosions continue to rock capsized ship. "..DONT WORK AGAINST US!" Red Buttons as James Martin Roddy McDowall as Acres Stella Stevens as Linda Rogo Ernest Borgnine as Det. Lt. Mike Rogo Byron Webster as Purser Jack Albertson, Ernest Borgnine, Roddy McDowall, Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Stella Stevens, Arthur O'Connell, Shelley Winters, Gene Hackman, and Pamela Sue Martin Shelley Winters as Belle Rosen Arthur O'Connell as Chaplain Shelley Winters in The Poseidon Adventure Poseidon Adventure Ronald Neame
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Flixster Reviews (1,675)

  • FrizzDrop
    January 18, 2012
    FrizzDrop
    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... read more 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.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    September 7, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    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 s... read moreome 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.
  • skeletonking101
    March 26, 2011
    skeletonking101
    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... read more 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.
  • ajv2688
    December 29, 2010
    ajv2688
    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.
  • FilmFanatik
    January 12, 2010
    FilmFanatik
    A very dated disaster classic that's actually more laughable today than compelling.
  • SirPant
    September 24, 2009
    SirPant
    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.
  • stormyweather980
    August 15, 2009
    stormyweather980
    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 an... read mored 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.
  • SarahG1988
    July 26, 2009
    SarahG1988
    Review coming soon....
  • sanjurosamurai
    November 2, 2008
    sanjurosamurai
    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 f... read moreor 72', but overrated as a film.
  • kenstachnik
    September 3, 2008
    kenstachnik
    Thoroughly entertaining disaster flick, but it's no Towering Inferno

View All The Poseidon Adventure Reviews

Critic Reviews

Scott G. Mignola
January 2, 2011
Scott G. Mignola, Common Sense Media

Titanic without the smarm. Full Review

Steve Crum
July 26, 2007
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Classic of disaster movie genre with memorable cast.

Pablo Villaca
June 22, 2006
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena

"timo filme-catástrofe que, além do habitual elenco estelar e da excepcional direção de arte, conta com tensas seqüências de ação.

Matt Brunson
May 18, 2006
Matt Brunson, Creative Loafing

The Poseidon Adventure was one of the first disaster flicks and it arguably remains the best. Full Review

Eric Henderson
May 8, 2006
Eric Henderson, Slant Magazine

What the glittering, star-driving survivalism of Poseidon Adventure actually presents is a nightmarishly schematic fantasia of guiltless discomfort. Full Review

Scott Weinberg
April 28, 2006
Scott Weinberg, DVDTalk.com

If we're making picks for the most entertaining disaster flicks ever made -- my enthusiastic vote goes to The Poseidon Adventure. Easily. Full Review

Nick Schager
April 19, 2006
Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness

Neither as exciting nor as unintentionally funny as one would like it to be. Full Review

Cole Smithey
December 19, 2005
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com

Pure '70s Hollywood.

Chuck O'Leary
September 21, 2005
Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily

One of the best of the 1970s all-star disaster movies.

Rich Cline
May 13, 2005
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

superb guilty pleasure

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The Poseidon Adventure Trivia

  • a luxury liner from the golden age of travel, on its final voyage from New York City to Athens before the scrapyard. On New Year's Eve, it is overturned by a rogue wave caused by an underwater earthquake, trapping all inside. A renegade priest attempts to lead a small group of survivors to safe  Answer »
  • he played reverend frank scott in 1972 the poseidon adventure  Answer »
  • wich movie use this taglines: Who will survive-in one of the greatest escape adventures ever! Combining the talents of fifteen Academy Award Winners  Answer »
  • hell upside down was the principal tagline of this 1972 disaster flick  Answer »
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