Ghosts of the Abyss (2003)

80% of critics liked it
(96 reviews)
61% of users liked it
(6,159 ratings)

Filmmaker James Cameron has long been fascinated with the ill-fated maiden voyage of the great ship the Titanic, and he used the story as the backdrop for his most famous and successful movie. In the summer of 2001, Cameron and his good friend Bill Paxton (who appeared in Titanic) joined a group of… More Filmmaker James Cameron has long been fascinated with the ill-fated maiden voyage of the great ship the Titanic, and he used the story as the backdrop for his most famous and successful movie. In the summer of 2001, Cameron and his good friend Bill Paxton (who appeared in Titanic) joined a group of scientists, maritime historians, archaeologists, and deep sea explorers for a daring experiment -- to find and document the Titanic's final resting place at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Cameron brought along a film crew equipped with state-of-the-art 3-D cameras to document the voyage and utilized the Mir-1 and Mir-2, Russian deep sea submersible vessels capable of voyaging to a depth of around 6500 kilometers. Ghosts of the Abyss offers a detailed look at the team's search for the Titanic, as well as imagining what the final hours for the crew and passengers must have been like. The initial release of Ghosts of the Abyss was limited to big-screen IMAX theaters and movie houses specially equipped to show 3-D features. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: G, 59 min.
Directed By: James Cameron
Written By: James Cameron
Genres: Documentary, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy, Special Interest

In Theaters: Apr 11, 2003 Limited
On DVD: Apr 27, 2004
Studio: Buena Vista Distribution

Critic Reviews

Ted Shen, Chicago Reader
This hour-long feature, edited down from 900 hours of footage, is both a technical marvel and a heartfelt memorial to those who died when the ship sank in 1912.
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
Cameron, who produced and directed it, does a visually splendid job, though what he has fashioned comes down to a logistical footnote to his great, primal, heart-of- the-ocean blockbuster.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
One of the rare Imax movies in which the 3-D effects are completely melded into the picture, rather than simply used as a gimmick.
Edward Crouse, Village Voice
Aside from his CGI ghostcraft unwittingly co-opting Pat O'Neill's last feature, Cameron is entirely predictable in a marines T-shirt, exhorting, 'Next stop, Titanic -- rock 'n' roll!'
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
Ghosts of the Abyss is an incredible experience that will further enhance our century-long fascination with the Titanic.
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
Besides the considerable technological magic of the film, it's blessedly done without a spirit of vanity.
Alice Tynan, Concrete Playground
Go and marvel at this spectacular piece of visual history; it's 60 minutes very well spent.
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed
What's the point of this documentary?
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
This is a brilliant showcase for IMAX and Cameron who offer an entertaining and fascinating glimpse of history to us all.
Olly Richards, Empire Magazine
Despite Paxton's whooping every time a new artefact comes on screen, it's hard to be constantly excited about watching a bunch of rusty, decayed junk -- historic and three-dimensional though it may be.
, Time Out
It may not have the organisation of 'art', but it's quite some postcard.
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)
Using small robot cameras, Cameron brings the ship to life, recalling its power and splendor.
Betty Jo Tucker, ReelTalk Movie Reviews
Persuading the appealing Bill Paxton to come along for this undersea ride was one of James Cameron's wisest moves.
Bill Chambers, Film Freak Central
Cameron has gone from shaping the zeitgeist to spoonfeeding it
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...utilizing two discs allows both movie versions to be transferred at a low compression rate and leaves plenty of room on disc two for the few extras the set has to offer.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
The picture's beauty and Cameron's amazing photographic work provide much pleasure. It's just that...there is the feeling we've been there and seen it all before.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
As seqüências rodadas nos destroços do Titanic são estupendas, mas o filme constantemente perde o foco e gasta muito tempo com a narração pouco inspirada de Paxton.
Mark Dujsik, Mark Reviews Movies
Cameron is forever associated with the fateful ship, and I think it's time he moved on.
David N. Butterworth, Movie Boeuf
Not as record setting a motion picture as, say, Titanic, but more haunting and ethereal.
Todd Gilchrist, FilmStew.com
Ghosts Of the Abyss is an interesting experiment which fails to take full advantage of the real opportunity granted in its inception - to utilize emerging technology to explore terrain that has never been witnessed by humans. . .

Read all 22 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Everett J

"Ghosts of the Abyss" is a sci-fi type documentary. James Cameron and Bill Paxton along with a group of scientists, historians, and deep sea explorers head down to explore the remains of Titanic. It's visually stunning to see the ship at the ocean floor. The way it… More
"Ghosts of the Abyss" is a sci-fi type documentary. James Cameron and Bill Paxton along with a group of scientists, historians, and deep sea explorers head down to explore the remains of Titanic. It's visually stunning to see the ship at the ocean floor. The way it has deteriorated, yet parts like stain glass windows remain beautiful and intact. Runs only at 64 minutes, which is a good run time as the movie does become a little boring mid way through. This was designed for 3D Imax, so watching it on DVD on a 55 inch tv, really doesn't seem to do it the justice is deserves. At home it's kind of just a boring exploration of a fascinating subject. But, I'm sure on a 3D Imax screen this is a real experience.
Ken S

Ghost of the Abyss is better.
Alexander D

Funny coincidence: GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS is about the Titanic; it's directed by James Cameron, who directed both the 1997 film TITANIC and the similarly-titled (but ultimately-unrelated 1989 film THE ABYSS. Just thought I'd mention that. GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS is a smooth, but… More
Funny coincidence: GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS is about the Titanic; it's directed by James Cameron, who directed both the 1997 film TITANIC and the similarly-titled (but ultimately-unrelated 1989 film THE ABYSS. Just thought I'd mention that. GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS is a smooth, but overly slow, documentary about the investigation of the Titanic. It picks up just about where TITANIC left off (except without the romance, drama, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet), even though made six years later as a factual film. The process in which everything is captured is slightly uneven, but if you want to see a Titanic movie that isn't all lovey-dovey and kissey-blissey (I don't know...I guess I just made that last one up), watch GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS. The only two big things you'll miss that you won't when watching TITANIC are the memorability and the epic.
Jens S

Really interesting documentary about director James Cameron and his crew exploring the remains of the Titanic with their adorable filming robots, comparing the wreck to original footage and telling the stories of the people involved in the tragic catastrophe. Almost more exciting than… More
Really interesting documentary about director James Cameron and his crew exploring the remains of the Titanic with their adorable filming robots, comparing the wreck to original footage and telling the stories of the people involved in the tragic catastrophe. Almost more exciting than the actual movie.
Mike S

An impressive documentary by one of my favourite film-makers of all time, who here takes us to the deep watery grave of the legendary Titanic. Director James Cameron's love and fascination for this widely famous ship really extends through the eye of the camera, making it hard to… More
An impressive documentary by one of my favourite film-makers of all time, who here takes us to the deep watery grave of the legendary Titanic. Director James Cameron's love and fascination for this widely famous ship really extends through the eye of the camera, making it hard to not be enthralled by the mysteries and stories dwelling within. It's definitely a must-see for those who loved the preceding movie from 1997. Thereby myself included.
Dann M

Ghosts of the Abyss is one of the best Titanic documentaries; delivering a rich and interactive look at the wreckage site. With new specialized equipment, James Cameron leads a new expedition to the wreckage of the Titanic and goes further into the ship than ever before. Using a… More
Ghosts of the Abyss is one of the best Titanic documentaries; delivering a rich and interactive look at the wreckage site. With new specialized equipment, James Cameron leads a new expedition to the wreckage of the Titanic and goes further into the ship than ever before. Using a blend of underwater footage superimposed with live action sage footage, the film delivers a real sense of the dimensions and feel of the ship. The film also has an added sense of poignancy, given that Cameron's expedition coincided with the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center; presenting an interesting parallel of one disaster being explored during the mist of another. Ghosts of the Abyss is a fascinating documentary and serves as a perfect companion piece to James Cameron's 1997 epic film; revealing the fact behind the fiction.
Lee K

This documentary was lent to me by a friend of mine and who is also a Titanic buff. I was leant a regular dvd copy of this film and now im searching like a mad man to see if this does in fact exist on blu-ray format. When i find it it will be added to the Kyle collection effective… More
This documentary was lent to me by a friend of mine and who is also a Titanic buff. I was leant a regular dvd copy of this film and now im searching like a mad man to see if this does in fact exist on blu-ray format. When i find it it will be added to the Kyle collection effective immediatly. Aside from Michael Moore's documentaries this has to be one of the best documentaries i have ever had the pleasure of watching. Director James Cameron (Titanic, Avatar, The Abyss) with a must have been very very expensive team of scientists and divers including actor Bill Paxton journey miles off the coast of Newfoundland to the orginal site where on April 14th 1912 the massive ocean liner the Rms Titanic struck an iceberg and sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic where it has lied silently for 98 years in its watery grave. Their mission there, to submerge inside two mini subs armed with floating specially made mini robotic cameras and journey down to where the ruins of the Titanic remain, Did I mention big bucks!!?? Its lucky James Cameron had a hefty payday from the motion picture Titanic or i dont think this whole mission would have been financially visable. We as the audience get to watch a very very nervous Bill Paxton question his sub's operator as they prep for Bill's first dive, the what ifs. We also get to sit back and lose ourself in one of the most fascinating yet horrific happenings of the 20th century. Cameron's robotic cameras take us where no other man has journeyed yet even photographed, inside the hull as it remains today. A definate future own for myself and a definate watch for everyone.
Sarah P

I think it could have been longer and more in depth - it was really cool to see the Titanic underwater though.
Barry L

Superb film by one of my favourite directors. Well worth a watch of the spooky deep sea scenes.

Read all 9 featured audience ratings

Cast

            Bill Paxton as Himself

            Lewis Abernathy as Himself

            Lori Johnson
            
            Dr. Charles Pellegrino as Himself

            Don Lynch as Himself

            Ken Marschall as Himself

            James Cameron as Himself

            Mike Cameron as Himself

            Jeffrey N. Ledda
            
            Genya Cherniaev as Himself

            Victor Nischeta
            
            Dr. Anatoly Sagalevich as Himself

            John Bruno
            
            Vince Pace as Himself

            Corey Jakolski
            
            Jason Paul
            
            Eric Schmitz
            
            Miguel Wilkins
            
            Federico Zambrano
            
            Dale Ridge
            
            Judy Prestininzi
            
            Adriana Valdez
            
            Justin Shaw
            
            Thomas Kilroy
            
            Charlie Arneson
            
            Piper Gunnarson
            
            Tava Smiley as Herself

            Dr. John Broadwater as Himself

            Dr. Lori Johnston as Herself

            Ed Harris as Bud Brigman

            Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Lindsey Brigman

            Michael Biehn as Lt. Coffey

            Leo Burmeister as Catfish De Vries

            Todd Graff as Alan "Hippy" Carnes

            John Bedford Lloyd as "Jammer" Willis

            Kimberly Scott as Lisa "One Night" Standing

            J.C. Quinn as "Sonny" Dawson

            Capt. Kidd Brewer Jr. as Lew Finier

            George Robert Klek as Wilhite

            Chris Murphy as Seal Schoenick

            Adam Nelson as Ensign Monk

            Richard Warlock as Dwight Perry

            Jimmie Ray Weeks as Leland McBride

            J. Kenneth Campbell as DeMarco

            Ken Jenkins as Gerard Kirkhill

            Michael Beach as Barnes

            Chris Elliott as Bendix

            Peter Ratray as Captain

            Brad Sullivan as Executive

            Frank Lloyd as Navigator

            Joseph C. Nemec III as Crew Member

            William Wisher as Bill Tyler

            Phillip Darlington as Crew Member

            Joe Farago as Anchorman
See full cast

Photos

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