Although 'Poseidon' was not all that well received, I actually enjoyed it more than the original, highly acclaimed 'The Poseidon Adventure' (of which 'Poseidon' is a remake), which I found too comical and unbelievable despite its good cast.
'Poseidon' is an action adventure survival thriller, with the focus on the survival element. It doesn't spend much time on character introductions and jumps right into the chaos, so we get to know the characters once their quest for survival begins. Excellent visual effects and a fantastic production design help bring this film to life, making it realistic and conceivable. The capsize scene, especially, was incredibly well done.
The film does follow the same pattern as most disaster films of this genre, with stereotypical characters, and it's always easy to spot the dispensable ones. Essentially, this is a slasher movie - just a different kind of slasher. Due to the film's short running time (94 minutes), it is fast-paced and entertaining throughout and doesn't waste a minute of screen time.
The film features a stellar cast, but I don't think I would have cared who the actors were, as the story was interesting enough and well executed. It is a nail-biter with one primary focus: survival. In my humble opinion, the film succeeded in that aspect. I've watched the movie a few times and enjoy it every time. 'Poseidon' is a disaster movie that delivers.
