The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

Director: Ronald Neame
Starring: Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Shelley Winters

Synopsis:
A firebrand pastor leads fellow passengers out of a capsized cruiseliner.

Impressions:
This movie is one of the forefront entries in the 70s disaster movie craze. It's a testament to Airplane!'s effectiveness as parody as the setup for this completely straight film feels a lot like it's building up to a punchline. You've got the captain played by Leslie Nielsen, the eager little brat getting on the bridge, a grouchy detective who married a prostitute he busted, etc. It's only when things go south that you can buy into the serious tone. The presentation of the disaster and the escalation of the perils are solid and the interplay of the characters works pretty well. I particularly like the alpha dog grappling between Gene Hackman and Ernest Borgnine. As far disaster films go, this is rightfully held near the top of the pile. Give it a watch.

Rating:
Watch It