Synopsis

The story of the fictional ocean liner SS Poseidon making its final voyage from New York City to Athens before it is decommissioned and the disaster that befalls it on New Year's Day when it is overturned by a tsunami.

A 1972 Academy Award winning action-adventure disaster film, The Poseidon Adventure is the story of the fictional ocean liner SS Poseidon making its final voyage from New York City to Athens before it is decommissioned and the disaster that befalls it on New Year's Day when it is overturned by a tsunami. One of the more successful disaster films of its day, it was only second to The Godfather at the box office at the time of its release.

On New Years Eve, the aging SS Poseidon whilst making its final voyage encounters a tsunami caused by an underwater earthquake. Because of the ships captain’s orders to sail at top speed for their destination, despite his objections that the ship may not fair well in dangerous waters, the ship does not take on additional water ballast and therefore finds itself capsized by the giant wave, killing the ships captain and senior officers on the bridge instantaneously.

Trapped on an upside down ship, those passengers who survived the impact are forced to band together and attempt to make an escape from the doomed vessel. Led by the faith questioning Reverend Frank Scott (Gene Hackman) and Detective Lieutenant Mike Rogo (Ernest Borgnine), the survivors make their way through the bowels of the ship, believing their best chance for escape lies with the thinnest part of the hull near the ships propeller. Together these men and women must work together to avoid their horrible fate, however not everyone will make it out alive.

With an all star cast featuring Red Buttons, Carol Lynley, Roddy McDowall, Stella Stevens, Shelley Winters, Jack Albertson, Arthur O'Connell and Leslie Nielsen; The Poseidon Adventure is the original blockbuster disaster film and certainly not one to be missed.