The main point in its favour is that it has so much social commentary, despite all the capes and the exploding cars. Its superheroes and supervillains are mutants, a persecuted minority, so there's an ongoing debate about integration versus aggression. The third episode in the X-Men franchise has a different director from the first two, but it has all the same pros and cons. I'll be the guy suspiciously close to Kurt Russell, hopping from foot to foot with a desperate grimace on his face.'Poseidon' opens on Thursday. I shake his hand, thank him for inviting me onto his set and leave him with a parting thought. "I hope I make the cut," I say with as much manipulative optimism as I can muster. Petersen merely raises an eyebrow, and then lets loose a skeptical laugh This is not encouraging.

But you never know, right? When you head to the multiplex, make sure you look for me anyway. I linger on set as the magnificent space empties of life, and take advantage of my privileged access to say goodbye to Petersen, who is conferring with some crew. When "Cut" is called after a frenzied Take 4, Petersen throws out a hurried, "Great day Wonderful Wonderful Goodbye." Wow That's it It's over A weary cheer ripples through the cast and crew It's 6:15. This strikes me as a ploy to keep us committed 12 hours after starting our day It's very effective. "We're working in a police station, and all the female uniformed cops and undercover detectives have had plastic surgery," he says dryly.The filmmakers are ready again.

Before we shoot, an AD lets us know that Petersen is using one camera to roam across our individual faces in close-up. They also say that young extras can work every day if they want, but it's harder for "older folks." This is an observation that the 52-year-old 20-year veteran makes as well, since verisimilitude is not exactly a priority in television. Many extras, they say, are whiners who complain about everything and forget their call times and set positions. "Cattle calls," or situations in which 1,500 extras are needed for something like a Pepsi commercial, draw a certain element who show up, sign in and then go sleep in their cars, only to come back and sign out at the end of the day Since no one keeps track, they get paid.