Beyond the Poseidon Adventure

Plot synopsis:
The capsized luxury liner S.S. Poseidon is still afloat after six survivors have been rescued via helicopter.
Tugboat captain Mike Turner (Michael Caine) discovers the shipwreck. Accompanied by second mate Wilbur (Karl Malden) and passenger Celeste Whitman (Sally Field), he heads out to claim salvage rights, as the tugboat Jenny lost her cargo in the same tsunami that capsized the Poseidon.
They are soon followed by Dr. Stefan Svevo (Telly Savalas) and his crew, who claim to be Greek Orthodox medics who received the ship's SOS. They board the doomed vessel through the bottom hull opening left by the Greek rescue team, and become trapped after the entrance collapses. The group with Turner also encounters the ship's nurse, Gina Rowe (Shirley Jones) and two passengers - Suzanne Constantine (Veronica Hamel), and war veteran Frank Mazzetti (Peter Boyle) who is searching for his missing daughter Theresa (Angela Cartwright), whom they soon find along with the elevator operator Larry Simpson (Mark Harmon) and as well as a "billionaire" named "Tex" (Slim Pickens). Later they find the blind Harold Meredith (Jack Warden) and his wife Hannah (Shirley Knight), who were waiting to be rescued.
Water continues to submerge decks and more explosions occur. Turner and his group find the purser's office, where Svevo decides he and his men will continue their search for other survivors. Turner agrees, and Svevo and his men leave in another direction. Another explosion causes the safe in the purser's office to fall through the bulkhead and open, revealing gold coins (each worth 100 times its weight in gold) and cash. Turner and Wilbur excitedly gather it and start looking for another way out of the ship. Unknown to Turner and the survivors, Suzanne is actually working with Svevo and takes a list containing information about a cargo of crates from the purser's office. She leaves the group and goes to find Svevo. She gives the document to Svevo but decides she no longer wants to go through with his plan, preferring to go back and get out with Turner. Svevo apologizes and orders Doyle, one of his men, to kill Suzanne. He shoots her, but she strikes him with an axe, killing him, before she dies. While making their way up through the decks, Turner and the others find Suzanne's corpse and reach the unpleasant conclusion that a murderer is on board. During one climb towards another deck, Hannah dislocates her shoulder while helping her husband.
After continuing their progress through the ship, Turner and his group find Svevo and his men gathering a cargo of plutonium. Svevo reveals that his real intention for boarding the Poseidon was to retrieve his lost shipment of plutonium, adding that he can't let Turner and his group go now. However, before they can kill them, another explosion occurs, allowing them to escape through another cargo room full of cars. Turner, Mazzetti and Simpson find some guns and attempt to make a fight of it - in the ensuing shoot-out, Mazzetti and another of Svevo's men are killed. Water floods the deck as Turner's group proceed up to the next deck, but an injured Hannah is unable to climb a ladder: she falls into the rising water and drowns. While trying to rescue her, Turner loses all of his salvaged gold. Svevo and his one remaining gunman head back up to the ship's stern, where the rest of Svevo's team attempt to use a crane to raise the plutonium up to the hull of the ship, which is still above water but is slowly sinking.
In another section of the ship, Turner and the survivors exit the ship through an underwater side door, but due to shortage of scuba tanks, Wilbur (unknown to Turner and his group) sacrifices himself by swimming underwater and disappearing. Turner and Celeste swim to the tugboat Jenny and move it closer to the Poseidon as the remaining survivors swim towards it. Svevo's men see them and open fire, killing Tex, who willingly holds onto a bottle of champagne as he goes down. Turner's group makes it to his boat, and they sail away. Water continues to flood the Poseidon and cause the on-board boilers and then the plutonium cargo to explode. Svevo and his men are all killed as the entire Poseidon explodes.
On board Turner's boat, Turner accepts that his tugboat Jenny will be taken from him when they get to port, but Celeste reveals a diamond she salvaged from the Poseidon. Celeste asks Turner, "Are you going to kiss me now?" and Turner replies, "I was going to kiss you anyway." They kiss and the tugboat Jenny sails away into the sunset with the survivors.

Tags: violence, murder

Review:
The characters are unwaveringly pathetic and annoying (and in many cases, just thinly disguised versions of folks from the original film.) Boyle is mercilessly loud and obnoxious, taking Ernest Borgnine's "type" to a new level of irritation.
I also have to give the film credit for that little bits of continuity, like Linda's body is still lying near the entrance of the ship the crew uses, the same hole the original movie's survivors escaped from.
it took awhile for me to get into this movie.but somewhere along the line,i actually started to enjoy myself.once you get around the wafer thin plot,it's not half bad.the trick with this movie is to not take it too seriously.for instance,as soon as the bad guys show up,you know they're bad long before they reveal their intentions.the only other thing they could have done to telegraph they were bad would have been to have been for them each to have a neon sign over their heads saying villain.it's that absurd.and there's some cringe worthy dialogue.however,the are some very witty one liners mostly courtesy of Sally Field,and their was an interesting,and(mostly)likable mix of characters.there were actually even a few exciting moments.of course,there are endless explosions.this movie doesn't hold a candle to the original Poseidon Adventure.it was actually fairly pointless,when you think about.but it was fun,and actually quite entertaining.for me,Beyond the Poseidon adventure is a solid 5/10.
This formula disaster movie from Irwin Allen (Towering inferno) concerns about the famous ship , previously winner of numerous Oscars and some former footage is sprinkled into the opening sequence .
Later wreckage Poseidon during New year's eve , when a tidal wave overturns it , now Michael Caine is the captain of a crew (Sally Field,Karl Malden) which race each other commanded by Telly Savallas for obtaining reward and loot .
After sea tragedy Poseidon centering on survivors from liner passenger and the rescuers of the shipboard .This mediocre sequel blends action , intrigue , gunshots , disaster spectacle , suspense and emotional byplay with romance included .
Succeeds only in wasting various talented actors , an all-star-cast formed by Michael Caine in a similar role Gene Hackman-alike , Jack Warden as a blind passenger , Slim Pickens as a habitual role , Peter Boyle as a zealous father of his daughter Angela Cartwhright enamored by Mark Harmon , besides appears Veronica Hamel , Shirley Knight , Shirley Jones...Lively score musical by Jerry Fielding and colorful cinematography by Joseph Biroc .
Another one of those great Irwin Allen films that are filled with hammy actors and bad special effects--but what a fun time to watch!!.
How many movies get the chance of being made by the extraordinary,proficient,astonishing Allen and/or having Caine,Mrs. Field,Savallas,Shirley Jones in the cast?Caine's role,in itself,is a jewel;he just fits in.He is energetic, lucid,sharp, intelligent,manly,as fit as a fiddle.Caine knows how to make a super-action flick,without needing to be Willis or Ford.He should be very proud of his role in "Beyond ...".For me,this is one of the most cherished Caine shows.(Caine is himself a cinema,he did an incredible number of good flicks.)Mrs. Field is enchanting,natural, inventive, fresh, luminous, spontaneous,funny,resourceful.(How do I miss an actress like her when I see that imbecile girls in so many cheap-looking shows!With few exceptions,such as Miss Rachel Luttrell,Miss Torri Higginson,or Mrs. Blalock,did you notice how many imbecile-looking girls crowd to fill the sets of the shows?)The action does not stagnate for a moment.Savallas got his bigger/better roles elsewhere;but the villain he does here is,as such,memorable and a landmark for the genre.He coins a comic strip villain.(I mean,Nero in Die Hard 2 ,Alan Rickman in Die Hard ,are zero compared to Savallas in "Beyond ...".)The colors of this movie are delightful.And how many shows offer so much fun?For me,only the first two episodes of Stargate Atlantis (Rising (Part 1)&Rising (Part 2)).Many people,who commented "Beyond ...",have expressed a lot of reserves and reticence,about various things;I think they were unjust,and way too exacting.Between 56 and 64 years,Allen made (i.e,directed and/or produced) several disaster movies:the diptych The Poseidon Adventure ,1972,and The Towering Inferno ,1974for the movie theaters;then, another diptychfor TV this time: Flood!
The way his character takes command of this disaster movie and his encounters with Telly Savalas (this was also my favourite Savalas show) and Sally Field are nothing short of great entertainment.I could do another 20 quotes from the other players.
It's hardly a good movie, in fact its quite a mess upon further observation (plot holes, needless back stories, and one character is disposed of without explanation), but I did kinda enjoyed it on a "it wasn't the complete disaster" way.
Michael Caine reteamed with Allen after "The Swarm" for this soggy sequel about two salvage crews (one good, one bad) that race each other to probe the upside-down wreck of the luxury liner Poseidon, which as you'd recall got turned over by a 90-foot tidal wave in the first film.
Karl Malden, Jack Warden, and the two Shirleys (Knight and Jones) have the only good roles in the film.
There are two actors who star in "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure" in early roles before they hit it big on television: Veronica Hamel is in this film a few years before she was cast on the great TV show "Hill Street Blues" (she also appeared in Allen's next film: "When Time Ran Out"), and so is Mark Harmon (before "St. Elsewhere").
If you liked the original "Poseidon Adventure" then you can not find one redeeming feature of this lamebrained "sequel" that represents exploitation for a quick buck at it's worst.
The bigger mystery is why, after being humiliated in "The Swarm" did Michael Cain ever agree to work with Allen again?Pretend this film never happened and just stick to the original, which is far more intelligent..
Irwin Allen's sequel to his 1972 blockbuster "The Poseidon Adventure" arrived in theaters SEVEN YEARS LATER!
One might end up feeling really sorry for Michael Caine, Sally Field, Peter Boyle, Jack Warden, Karl Malden and Shirley Jones were it not for their lost-at-sea expressions (good for a few stray laughs).
Scavenger hunters (Michael Caine, Sally Field, Karl Malden) come across the sinking ship just minutes after the survivors from the first film were saved.
Along the way he counters some survivors (Peter Boyle, Jack Warden, Mark Harmon, Shirley Knight, Slim Pickens) as well as a terrorist (Telly Savalas).
Caine, Malden, Warden and Pickens actually come off with good performances but Boyle and Field should really be embarrassed.
Having not seen the original, I guessed it might be the Poseidon Adventure, since it was obviously on a ship in distress.
There is no story, the performances all looked forced, the characters a parody of the usual disaster movie roles that are suddenly brought together by an event, and start pontificating about the real meaning of life at the level of bumper sticker philosophy.It is only worthwhile to see the unusually awful performances by such greats as Sally Field, Michael Caine, et al.
After bombing with "The Swarm," producer Irwin Allen, perhaps sensing that the disaster film cycle spawned by the success of "The Poseidon Adventure" and "The Towering Inferno" was about to end, returned to the scene of his first major crime...er, I mean success...and gave us this unnecessary sequel.
There are so many open answers to this movie that it is ridiculous...like The Poseidon which is a monstruous ship with passengers on is drifting on the sea and just Michael Caine with his miniboat and an evil Telly Savalas discover the boat...well, at the beginning the French marine are circling above the wreck with their helicopter but as a sinking cruiseship is a daily thing, they just fly away...
Hmmm, Michael Caine goes on board with sally Field and he might pick up everything he sees (diamonds)if there wasn't a Telly Savalas who is looking for weapons on the ship...my God, why in fact am I wasting my words on here?
I am a total fan of the original "Poseidon Adventure," but this film just should never have been made.
Why was this film even made?Seriously, the most dramatic thing in this movie is the murder of Slim Pickens (that fiend, Telly Savalas!).
Also, the sets and special effects are cheap and unconvincing.Like the first film, there's a large all-star cast, but they hardly do or say anything exciting, intelligent, meaningful, original, and that isn't laughable.
Though the movie did seem to have its perks, and seem to have a good story and thrilling moments...I was completely focused the whole time at the ship being inches away from sinking.
Captain Mike Turner (Michael Caine) pilots his tug boat with Wilbur Hubbard (Karl Malden) and Celeste Whitman (Sally Field) to salvage the Poseidon after it capsized.
Pointless sequel to "The Poseidon Adventure" that came out 7 YEARS after the original!
Then a small salvage crew (Michael Caine, Karl Malden and Sally Field) arrives to get what jewels and money they can get from the boat before it totally sinks.
I was totally disgusted with this unnecessary sequel to "The Poseidon Adventure" a movie which I have given a great comment about.This film is unbelievable from the word GO!
The one that rescued the original survivors had just flown over the boat that Michael Caine & Sally Field are on.
Boarding the hull of the ship with Caine is Karl Malden and Sally Field, who assist with finding their riches, and so he can pay off his debts.
Former "Partridge Family" mom Shirley Jones looks especially beautiful in a wet hairstyle...When his disastrous bee movie "The Swarm" (1978) bombed, producer-director Irwin Allen decided it was time to return to one of his greatest adventures.
Many of the best shots look like outtakes from the original film and the stunts are actually all revisions from "The Poseidon Adventure", without Shelley Winters.
This one is just okay.***** Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979-05-18) Irwin Allen ~ Michael Caine, Sally Field, Telly Savalas, Karl Malden.
But it wasn't really an astounding experience, and the movie was just adequately entertaining.The marooned Poseidon is still afloat, when captain Mike Turner (played by Michael Caine) along with his crew Celeste Whitman (played by Sally Field) and Wilbur Hubbard (played by Karl Malden) come across the upside-down floating vessel and because of financial troubles, captain Mike Turner decides to venture into the vessel in search for valuables.
Just as they are to go in, another vessel turns up with a rescue crew led by captain Stefan Svevo (played by Telly Savalas).The storyline was adequate enough, but there was just too little happening throughout the entire movie.
And you didn't really sit with the sense of the people who ventured into the vessel were in any real peril at any time, especially not when they could afford all those breaks and sit down for something to eat as well.What was impressive about the movie was the talents that they had managed to muster together for this 1979 sequel, and that was actually what managed to keep the movie afloat - pardon the pun."Beyond the Poseidon Adventure" isn't really a memorable movie experience, and I doubt that this is the type of movie that you will watch more than once, because it just didn't have all that much to offer..
As a big fan of the original Poseidon Adventure, I initially thought a sequel would be a good thing.
Most notably the nurse--thought to be dead because she traveled to the bow with the doctor and other survivors--is now alive, has miraculously shed 40 pounds, and has managed to dye and restyle her hair.The original Poseidon Adventure screenplay included a scene involving the ship sinking at the end, but was cut out for budget reasons.
Irwin Allen may have been a great producer of disaster flicks, and done a fine job directing the action scenes in 'Towering Inferno', but he just can't bring any human depth to his characters.
Although I am a huge Poseidon adventure fan, the film should of been about the other survivors who were trapped and some civilians like Caine and Fields as the heroes.
If you're looking for a disaster movie, rent the original "Poseidon Adventure" or "The Towering Inferno"..
Kudos to Angela Cartwright (damn, she's gorgeous!!), Mark Harmon and Karl Malden for being natural actors that can do it on the one take, and razzies to Michael Caine, Sally Field, Shirley Jones and especially Peter Boyle who are AWFUL!.
Since the original Poseidon Adventure raked in so much dough, Irwin Allen wanted to get a sequel off the ground right away.
This Mike Rogo became Mike Turner (Michael Caine) and Bandits and Pirates became Stefan Svevo (Television Savalas) and his group of terrorists.Beginning just before the storm in which the Poseidon capsized, Turner and his crew (Sally Field and Karl Malden) are out in Jenny the Tugboat.
After several deaths, they manage to escape just before Poseidon explodes and sinks, taking with it the party who went for the plutonium.Although not as good as The Poseidon Adventure, this sequel isn't too bad with decent special effects.A good cast too: Michael Caine (Zulu, The Italian Job), Telly Savalas (Kojak), Karl Malden (The Streets Of San Francisco), Sally Field (Mrs Doubtfire), Anglea Cartwright (Lost In Space, reuniting her with director Irwin Allen), Peter Boyle and Slim Pickens.If you like 1970's disaster movies and Michael Caine like myself, I recommend this.Rating: 3 stars out of 5..
After the gunfight, the group led by Michael Caine (who is horribly miscast as a gruff tug-boat captain) decides to rest, giving Sally Field and Shirley Jones a few minutes to discuss their love lives (I'm not making this up!).
Luckily for him, after rescuing the surviving cast of the original movie, everyone else left, without making any attempt to recover anything from the ship or locate additional survivors.
The Poseidon Adventure was one of the best films ever made, but you're better off, watching this never having seen it, as much of the original plot is ignored here, like certain areas that flooded are now clear.
Irwin Allen's production of Beyond the Poseidon Adventure was very exciting to watch.
Then as in the first film they realize they have to get out again and go through the ship as the the survivors did in the first Poseidon Adventure.
When the Captain spots a rescue helicopter (presumably the same one carrying Poseidon Survivors from the original) he realizes a ship must be in trouble and therefore available for salvage.
The original had a big cast but the characters were so brilliantly written and you became completely enthralled with each one of them and that can't happen with the sequel despite some good actors.
4 Oscar winners, Karl Malden, Sally Field, Shirley Jones, Michael Caine.
1 hour 54 minutes of sheer tedium, melodrama and horrible acting, a mess of a script, and a sinking feeling of GOOD LORD, WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?Irwin Allen was just trying to cash in on the popularity of the original classic disaster film with a grade D minus script, the actors were obviously just in it for the paycheck as well,...
This part sequel, part remake has Caine, Malden and ANOTHER group of Poseidon survivors making a similarly dangerous trek out of the sinking ship.
Sally Field is particularly annoying as a stowaway on board Caine's tug.Disaster master Irwin Allen not only produced this one, he decided to direct it as well..
Together they all venture inside the Poseidon but soon become trapped themselves as the ship continues to sink while certain people aren't who they seem & have ulterior motives for being on the Poseidon & will kill to keep the secret...Produced & directed by Irwin Allen this is the silly sequel to the classic disaster flick The Poseidon Adventure (1972) that has a very bad reputation but I will freely admit that I did actually quite enjoy Beyond the Poseidon Adventure despite it's absurdities.
In a way Beyond the Poseidon Adventure is the opposite of the original, it's silly with bad dialogue & bland character's unlike the original which was a terrific piece of action drama with people you cared about & related to.
The script throws in the usual disaster film clichés like blocked doors, lots of bad luck which traps a group of people in a dangerous situation, fires, explosions & lots of water.
The widescreen cinematography is great & I can't imagine how bad Beyond the Poseidon Adventure would have looked pan and scanned, the whole film has a lavish if slightly over produced look & I loved the upside down sets.
There's a fun cast here, Michael Caine is slumming it, Sally Field is a bit annoying, Slim Pickens is annoying while Telly Savalas is fun as the villain even though he puts in his James Bond bad guy performance.Beyond the Poseidon Adventure is a guilty pleasure, it's not a good film & when compared to how great the original is it's a bit insulting but I had a lot of fun with it & liked it.
Irwin Allen's "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure" does the unthinkable in this follow-up to his blockbuster 1972 film.
The fact that Irwin Allen had the audacity to attempt a sequel to "The Poseidon Adventure" deserves a strange amount of reverence.
He walked into the offices of studio executives six years after the original left theaters and said, "Hey, I have an idea for a sequel to that movie where the ship sinks.
This movie is about a group of actors who's paychecks/royalty fees are in the hull of an upturned cruise liner.Michael Caine wants his pay packet/royalty checks but must enter the Poseidon to get it.Sally Field, Karl Malden and Telly Savalas are also seeking their pay cheques/royalty fees and must also board the capsized bank.A few gunfights later and they reach the vault.