The Abyss Reviews

The whole reason James Cameron made the movie. Was due to dreams of tsunamis. So it’s weird that scene is only in the director’s cut. With aliens threatening to crush humans with a giant wave. It adds more to the movie.
Either way the Abyss was the strongest of the submarine underwater creature movies of 1989. Due to Cameron as director, fine effects and a great cast.
As well as more of an original story than just Alien underwater. Which the other underwater movies from 1989 were like. The Abyss is more about peaceful aliens that don’t like the violence humans cause.

''I need you to believe me right now.''

A civilian diving team are enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and face danger while encountering an alien aquatic species.

Ed Harris: Virgil 'Bud' Brigman

The Abyss is the most thought-provoking, imaginative, and beautiful science fiction film out there among the visionary stars of cinema. Master filmmaker and craftsman James Cameron brings us another thoughtful sci-fi epic behind The Terminator (1984) and Aliens(1986); two films that played brilliantly with Cold War-era paranoia, he brings us something that could possibly be the director's most introspective piece.
1989 was quite a year in terms of undersea sci-fi flicks; Leviathan and DeepStar Six taking full advantage of the Alien craze, and while The Abyss had aliens on its mind, these particular extraterrestrials come to us with a message and a purpose; echoing Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind.



The film begins with the sinking of an American nuclear submarine that was brought down under mysterious circumstances. The navy commandeers a civilian drilling rig to enter the sub and search for survivors. But this ragtag group of blue-collar workers, led by Bud Brigman (Ed Harris) and his ex-wife Lindsey (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), are plagued by a Navy SEAL team's insane leader, Lt. Coffey (Michael Biehn), and a series of bizarre underwater occurrences that could prove that they're not alone on the ocean floor.
The Abyss boasts one of the most compelling science fiction stories of any sci-fi film in the past 20 years. It was James Cameron's third and most powerful film; perhaps not his best according to his hardcore audience and certain critics, despite its groundbreaking computer animation effects and story.

The Abyss released in 1989 with a trimmed down 146 run time. Later when the movie came to video Cameron released his directors adding a significant amount of footage and bringing the time to 171 minutes. Most of this extra footage comes in at the end of the film and stands to clear up some major confusion wrought in the theatrical version. It seems that there are some creates living at the bottom of the ocean and are rather perturbed at humanities prevalence for violence. It seems these creatures (aliens?) can manipulate water and have forced giant tidal waves to start approaching every major port. Humanity is saved when the creatures see the true love between the two main characters.

What Cameron does extremely well in this picture is create tension.
The claustrophobic setting of an underwater oil rig to the potential nuclear meltdown; each scene slowly tightens the screws of suspense.
One among a few favourite scenes involves the sentient being crafted entirely of liquid or water. Cameron's dabbling with effects showing how later in Terminator 2 and even Titanic show his appreciation and love not just for visual bliss but water based imagination in the essence of his many creations. Let us remember also that Cameron's underwater marvel won an Oscar for Best Effects, Visual Effects; they are simply majestic.
The dialogue in Abyss is clunky at times; cliched variety that Cameron brings to pretty much all of his movies. Some of the extemporaneous characters bring little to the overall movie and help distract the viewer from the main plot. I think Cameron has done a very good job with the two main characters though. Ed Harris does a remarkable job playing his role as boss on the rig while still hackling with his wife. Mastrantonio also does a fine job of portraying the tough as nails Lindsay while still remaining feminine and sympathetic.

The directors cut ending is debated in the online world. While it serves to clarify what was a rather abrupt and confusing ending in the original it also becomes quite preachy and is at a loss for any type of subtlety. Cameron attacks his anti-war message like Ripley against Alien.
Even with some confusing dialogue and a preachy ending, The Abyss has still maintained in being not just one of my favourite sci-fi stories but one of the deepest enriched babies out there; The Abyss in essence is as deep as it's title suggests. James Cameron creates tension and imagination like two lovers; a master of his craft. This is Cameron at his most under-rated, most triumphant, most Zen best.

''We have no way of warning the surface. And you know what that means? It means, whatever happens, is up to us.''

Or Maybe even "The Day The Ocean Stood Still".

We humans are a species capable of our own destruction. Or of our own salvation.
And though sometimes, it's can seem like we're going down the road of total annihilation, there's still enough within us to choose otherwise.
At least, that's the kind of hope the water-breathing life-forms from outer space in this film seem to hold about us.
Personally, I think this is James Cameron's masterpiece. It's actually two stories in one. The alien storyline that provides the twist for the film, crossed over with the tension building plot involving the scientific crew & the naval SEAL team. And both plots, while differently paced, are still very excellently executed. Now, while the edited version that was originally released into theatres is a fine film, for my money, the uncut version is what truly reveals just how great this movie really is.

"These guys are about as much fun as a tax audit."

James Cameron was indisputably one of the most influential directors throughout the 20th Century; with each new film brought new groundbreaking special effects as well as mind-blowing, innovative concepts.

The Abyss is undoubtedly a top notch, extraordinarily well made film that can be regarded as more of an underwater adventure film than a sci-fi outing. Being a big fan of Cameron's prior films, I was eager to see this one and I was far from disappointed.

During the height of the Cold War, a group of oil rig workers are assigned by the navy to investigate a nuclear submarine that mysteriously sunk somewhere in the depths due to causes unknown. The navy suspects the Russians are behind the mysterious attack, and scramble to get to the site of the submarine before the Russians get there first. While the operation is being executed, freak weather conditions damage the platform and sever its communication with the surface. As World War III looms above and tensions rise between the divers and a deployed SEAL team, the rescuers discover that there is something else in the deep abyss of the ocean besides the submarine.

The film is told at such a snail pace but is full of state-of-the-art special effects to capture the imagination of Cameron's inspirational ideas. Each new creature only heightens the 'wow' factor of the overall production. The film's only real flaw was the convoluted dialogue that becomes hard to follow. But on the other hand, James Cameron tells the story exceptionally well.

The production design is great, as are the Oscar winning special effects that are outstanding for its age. Although they may look a tad weak compared to today's standards, they were utterly groundbreaking upon first release. I found Cameron's direction throughout to be almost flawless.

The atmosphere allows the audience to really get into the action unfolding on the screen. This wouldn't have been possible without the engaging performances as well. Ed Harris was very good in the principal role. Kudos to the production team for giving the audience the sense that there was no escape. Thanks to their remarkable work we can feel the tension and the fear of the characters.

Overall, The Abyss is a groundbreaking masterpiece from a wizard of modern filmmaking. My respect for Cameron can only heighten with each new film he produces. The Abyss is a landmark film and an extraordinary experience. One not to be missed!

In The Abyss, James Cameron weaves a number of plot lines - a rescue mission for a submarine, encounters with alien life, the perils of the Cold War and the redemption of love - in a manner that actually works until the ending.

The movie is at its most successful when it plays on your fears of the deep to create a tense atmosphere. What is more remarkable is that the special effects and cinematography are still stunning after 18 years.

While the characters may be stereotypical at times, the actors make you care what happens to them. Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio do a great job in walking the tightrope between intense and vulnerable as the estranged couple who come to settle their differences. Michael Biehn is wonderfully over the top in playing the rapidly unraveling Navy SEAL team leader.

My main problem with The Abyss is that the coda neatly ties up the movies plotlines in one grand Hollywood-style gesture.
This feel good ending doesn't do the previous 2 and half hours of the movie justice at all. If The Abyss ended 15 minutes earlier I would have been very satisfied.