Poseidon

Right now you can watch Poseidon in Australia on Netflix, and in the UK on Netflix — and it earns its twists rather than manufacturing them. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. With 2,336 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Josh Lucas anchors it, but the writing does the real work. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Netflix.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Poseidon is worth clearing space for. Poseidon treats its mystery as a means, not an end in itself. A packed cruise ship traveling the Atlantic is hit and overturned by a massive wave, compelling the passengers to begin a dramatic fight for their lives. Josh Lucas and Kurt Russell lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2006. Poseidon is at its best in the quiet scenes between the plot beats, where the character work actually happens. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Viewers who think they have seen every crime drama tend to find Poseidon proves them wrong. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Watch Josh Lucas work — it is a masterclass in the genre. Few crime dramas earn their twists this consistently.