This director seems to shine most when making movies that can best be described as part action movies/part disaster movies.
Beginning with Outbreak (1995) about the outbreak of a killer virus. This film had shades of an Irwin Allen disaster movie, The Swarm (1978), about the outbreak of killer bees. Both films had the military and scientists clash, also both had choppers all over the place.
Then came Air Force One (1997), about terrorists taking over the presidents plane. This film had shades of a 1970s Airport disaster film.
The Perfect Storm (2000) came next, and while the script about a boat at sea in a storm was okay, the constant fake looking computer generated sea water damaged the film.
And then came Poseidon (2006), about a passenger ship turning over at sea. Outbreak just hinted at being an Irwin Allen remake, but with Poseidon it was now official..this was a remake of Allen’s The Poseidon Adventure (1972). The new Poseidon movie was Petersen’s worst action/disaster movie by a long way. From casting to scripting the movie was terrible and our director made the same mistake seen in The Perfect Storm by having fake CGI sea water all over the place.
