The Poseidon Adventure

On a grand ocean liner cruising toward the holiday bustle, a sudden disaster rearranges the world for its passengers. When a massive wave strikes and the ship capsizes, the vessel becomes a perilous labyrinth of air pockets, smoke, and flooding. A diverse group of travelers must improvise under pressure as time ticks away. Reverend Scott, a steady minister played by Gene Hackman, alongside a weary cop, a frazzled steward, and other regular folk, discovers the dangers of their cramped new reality. They form uneasy lines of ascent through overturned hallways, trying to reach what remains of the hull while rationing air, water, and courage. The stakes escalate as fear, stubbornness, and hope collide in the dim glow of emergency lights.

Released in 1972, The Poseidon Adventure was directed by Ronald Neame and adapted from Paul Gallico's 1969 novel of the same name. The film blends disaster suspense with an ensemble cast led by Gene Hackman and Ernest Borgnine. Pacing brisk.

The film became a box office success, grossing $84,563,118 worldwide against a $5,000,000 budget, delivering a strong return and cementing its status as a cornerstone of the 1970s disaster cinema wave in North America and abroad, for audiences worldwide today.

It helped define the disaster movie template that dominated 1970s cinema with large ensembles, perilous set pieces, and urgent survival drama. Its success spurred sequels and imitators, and the image of an overturned liner gripping a crowd became a recurring visual in pop culture. It's often referenced, parodied, and studied.

Critics at the time praised the brisk suspense and the effective use of an ensemble cast, even as some found the pacing uneven. The story foregrounds human virtue under pressure, leadership versus self interest, and the tension between faith and pragmatism as the ship tilts toward disaster in tense moments.