SINKING SHIP

Saw Poseidon on the huge IMAX screen this past Sunday. If you go in without expectations and forgot about the original, Poseidon is surprisingly exciting and fast moving fun. But it has two major problems. First there is absolutely no character development and not one memorable line like from the original such as "Just panties, what else do I need?" Characters are all selfish and fend for themselves. Hell , they don't even try to convince any of the other passengers to make the trek up with them and just take off. The women all look alike and are dressed in dark clothes so you'll have trouble telling them apart as you hope that each of them will meet a horrible death. That is one of the film's major problems as I found myself rooting for the cast to be picked off one by one, which thankfully as a homage to Irwin Allen they were. However, except for all but one of the characters who perish on the trek up to the bottom it is highly predictable.

Second problem is the special effects. They are spectular but overwhelm the movie. When the ship goes upsy downsy there are so many fast intercuts from different parts of the ship it is hard to keep up and enjoy. The original smartly concentrated on the ballroom only and the major characters.

All this aside I still enjoyed Poseidon. The most glamorous woman in the movie is the lovely blonde Sarah Ferguson from the Black-Eyed Peas in the Carol Lynley role as the pop singer. She looks smashing in a beautiful seguined red and white gown. Alas she remains in the ballroom and doesn't make the climb. Josh Lucas makes for a hot looking reluctant hero and cute Mike Vogel looks very nice in his tight jeans. I was hoping for stoic Kurt Russell to say to him, "You can't swim in those jeans--they're too tight. They'll have to come off." Alas they don't.