For many, nothing is more terrifying than the idea of being stranded on the dark, deep ocean aboard a sinking ship. A real-life horror that has happened through history, perhaps the most documented is the sinking of the Titanic in April 1912 after striking an iceberg. Made into the 1992 blockbuster film of the same name, before this, a similar fictional story had already made it to the big screen in 1969 with The Poseidon Adventure. Based on Paul Gallico’s 1969 novel of the same name, the theme was said to have been inspired by a real event in 1937 when a massive wave caused the RMS Queen Mary to roll almost to its side.
With all of this in mind, 1972’s feature film The Poseidon Adventure was a massive hit, received eight Academy Award nominations, and won two Oscars. Additionally, featuring a fantastic cast that included Gene Hackman and Ernest Borgnine, it even led to a sequel in 1979 called Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (starring Michael Caine and Sally Field). If that were not enough, a made-for-television film called The Poseidon Adventure premiered many decades later on NBC in November 2005 with a cast including Adam Baldwin, Rutger Hauer, and Steve Guttenberg. Then, less than a year later, a brand-new theatrical remake, entitled Posideon, hit theaters on May 12, 2006.
Curiously, two Poseidon-themed projects would be released to the public so close to one another, but both took different approaches with the source material. Looking at the feature film from 2006, Wolfgang Petersen (famously known films such as 1984’s The NeverEnding Story) opted to follow the original idea of a rogue wave causing the catastrophe, opposed to the 2005 TV movie, which used a terrorist attack as the culprit. Two very different takes: Directing and producing Posideon, Petersen also transplants the story into modern-day settings, where people have cellphones and other modern conveniences.
Furthermore, 2006’s Poseidon had the benefit of a massive budget and technologically advanced special effects to make it bigger and better than its predecessors. However, bigger is not always better, because many would argue that 1972’s The Poseidon Adventure is a far superior film in terms of context, mood, and effectiveness. Nonetheless, this does not at all mean that 2006’s Poseidon should remain lost at sea.
Featuring a top-notch cast of Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas, Richard Dreyfuss, Emmy Rossum, Jacinda Barrett, Mike Vogel, Mía Maestro, Jimmy Bennett, and Andre Braugher, Poseidon clearly used the resources of a $160 million budget well. Of course, they put a lot of those funds toward special effects, especially CGI. However, it should not be overlooked that a good deal of practical effects were also employed, with the cast partaking in physically demanding stunts, with a whole lot of swimming involved. Taking this into consideration, no one can deny that the entire cast does a fantastic job with Posideon, and even in a modern setting, it is not nearly as horrid as the plethora of other modernized film adaptations.
Explaining this further, often with remakes, the script is written in a modern way where the characters use contemporary language, possess sassy attitudes, and are so unlikeable that you cannot connect with the story. With 2006’s Poseidon, this is not the case, because each character is presented in a likable fashion that you sincerely care what happens to them amidst their race against sinking to the bottom of the ocean. So, while Posideon is panned by many as one of the worst remakes, perhaps they should reconsider those opinions nearly twenty years after a heck of a lot worse ones have been put out there.
All said, in fairness, 2006’s Poseidon is entertaining, tension-filled, and no doubt keeps your attention all the way through. That is why it is interesting to see it making its way to 4K Ultra HD in 2025, thanks to Arrow Video. Out on August 12, 2025, this limited edition release offers Poseidon in 4K Ultra HD for the first time globally. A notable upgrade from prior DVD or Blu-ray releases, the newly remastered transfer in 4K Ultra HD is nothing less than beautifully done, thanks to the assistance of Dolby Vision. With these upgrades, you experience stunning imagery and equally enhanced sound quality.
Beyond this central selling point, this new Arrow Video release also offers tons of extras like interviews, new and original reversible artwork, and a lovely collector’s booklet written by Priscilla Page. Giving you a reason to rethink Wolfgang Petersen’s Poseidon and take a more objective look, Cryptic Rock gives this new 4K Ultra Limited Edition release 4 out of 5 stars.
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