The Abyss (1989)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jeff "

  
  After the phenomenal action classic, Terminator, James Cameron pushed the boundaries yet again with astounding special effects with The Abyss. This is a special effects milestone that helped advance the use of CGI in film. The result is a very good looking film that has breath taking… More
  After the phenomenal action classic, Terminator, James Cameron pushed the boundaries yet again with astounding special effects with The Abyss. This is a special effects milestone that helped advance the use of CGI in film. The result is a very good looking film that has breath taking special effects. Cameron has always been keen on delivering a visual spectacle with his films and The Abyss definitely emphasizes that. In terms of special effects, The Abyss delivers some astounding effects. Where the film lacks slightly is in the story, the plot starts off well enough, but it ends somewhat on a dismal note. The film has an impressive cast of talented actors that are able to carry the film well enough to make it watchable, but halfway through the film; the story looses its fire and becomes a little silly. Of course that's a minor speed bump as you're more focused on the astounding visuals. The visuals are what really makes this film watchable, and this one of the films that James Cameron has made. The cast do a fine job with the script, and luckily the story manages to work for more than half of the film, but like I stated, it loses its fire slightly and some elements feel out of place. This is still a worthy film to watch despite its small flaws. There are more great things going for this film than bad things. Cameron crafted a fine special effects wonder that remains one of the best he's ever done.

• Wahida K

  
  The Abyss is one of the Wonderful and Beautiful Alien Movies I have ever seen. I liked the Idea Aliens Underwater.

• Raymond W

  
  James Cameron never fails to criticize humanity in his work, but the message here is plain and simple so that everyone can understand. Seriously cool and gorgeous special effects, amazing acting and a suspenseful story make this one claustrophobic, nail-biting thriller with… More
  James Cameron never fails to criticize humanity in his work, but the message here is plain and simple so that everyone can understand. Seriously cool and gorgeous special effects, amazing acting and a suspenseful story make this one claustrophobic, nail-biting thriller with interesting characters.

• Manu G

  
  A place on earth more awesome than anywhere in space. Truly an epic film which I greatly enjoyed! Amazing story and superb special effects for that time which was film in. This movie really connects with you and moves you in ways you never thought it could. Probably one of the best… More
  A place on earth more awesome than anywhere in space. Truly an epic film which I greatly enjoyed! Amazing story and superb special effects for that time which was film in. This movie really connects with you and moves you in ways you never thought it could. Probably one of the best movies done in the 80's. Great learning for everyone! When an American nuclear submarine crashes, the United States Government believe the Russians to be responsible. They enlist the help of a team of underwater drilling platform workers who are to help the deployed Navy SEALS locate the crash site. As they get closer to their destination, the friction between the two teams increases. When some workers report seeing UFO's underwater, the SEALS grow increasingly suspicious and suspect a Russian mini-sub. After a series of near-fatal disasters, the workers find that they are the only people who are capable of stopping World War III. But they are not the only inhabitants of the deep, and strange things are happening back at the surface...

• Sergio G

  
  If you haven't seen the Abyss what a hell are you waiting for. James Cameron with an outstanding story and a previusalization of the new era of special FX. Ed Harris, Maria Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Michael Biehn who by the way provide one of the best villains I remember.

• Jens S

  
  James Cameron's flirt with the deep blue sea must have been an excruciatingly painful effort to shoot and act, it certainly shows in the actors, who don't have to do much. Harris and Mastrantonio still deliver very powerful performances, making them the beating heart of this… More
  James Cameron's flirt with the deep blue sea must have been an excruciatingly painful effort to shoot and act, it certainly shows in the actors, who don't have to do much. Harris and Mastrantonio still deliver very powerful performances, making them the beating heart of this film. The images of the underwater rig, the subs and men in diving suits do get a bit repetitive but the mystery of what lies below and the well timed action scenes still make for a fun experience. Cameron probably wanted to make his own "Close encounters of the third kind". He failed in doing, that but still delivered a deeply entertaining film. Especially the final images (of the special edition) are stunningly spectacular.

• Dan S

  
  A visually dazzling and impressively imaginative film. Definitely get the director's cut of this movie, the last half hour is simply stunning in every way possible. This film, which is vastly underrated compared to James Cameron's other works (the very much overrated… More
  A visually dazzling and impressively imaginative film. Definitely get the director's cut of this movie, the last half hour is simply stunning in every way possible. This film, which is vastly underrated compared to James Cameron's other works (the very much overrated "Titanic", the respected "True Lies", the solid "Avatar", the near masterpiece "Terminator 2 - Judgment Day", and the virtually flawless "Terminator" and "Aliens"), is very well done. Definitely lacks in dialogue occasionally and it takes a little while to get into, but if your eyes aren't popping out of your skull during the grand finale (which features an epic score and incredible special effects), you haven't seen a sci-fi movie yet.

• Martin S

  
  I certainly didn't see this coming. Fantastic movie. Very much more high budget then I thought. I really thought the movie was about to end when Kyle Reese died....But they had alot more in mind for us. It's a interesting idea...cause who knows whats down there? The movie… More
  I certainly didn't see this coming. Fantastic movie. Very much more high budget then I thought. I really thought the movie was about to end when Kyle Reese died....But they had alot more in mind for us. It's a interesting idea...cause who knows whats down there? The movie has a message that many of you people should think about. Now I can say without a doubt in my mind. James Cameron.....is the king. Just give him a big budget...and he'll make something great out of it. Every time

• Richard C

  
  boring in some parts but overall a really good movie. B+

• KJ P

  
  Not the absolute best that James Cameron has done, but this movie has a lot going for it, and the conclusion is fantastic. I am really confused, because I thought it was a fantastic movie, but something is just holding me back from saying it. It didn't grab my full attention… More
  Not the absolute best that James Cameron has done, but this movie has a lot going for it, and the conclusion is fantastic. I am really confused, because I thought it was a fantastic movie, but something is just holding me back from saying it. It didn't grab my full attention until after the first hour. But it is very good!

• Conner R

  
  While it is a highly interesting and visually stunnning film, it lacks a concrete plot and is terribly paced. As a science fiction epic, it fares quite well because it does have a nice idea. I just wanted to see it go further instead of leaving off at the tip of the iceberg. James… More
  While it is a highly interesting and visually stunnning film, it lacks a concrete plot and is terribly paced. As a science fiction epic, it fares quite well because it does have a nice idea. I just wanted to see it go further instead of leaving off at the tip of the iceberg. James Cameron has a great sense of creativity, he just lacks the personality of a true artist.

• Alice S

  
  A quietly beautiful thriller. The reviving Lindsay scene is so brutal and suspenseful. And again, boobs with a PG-13 rating. Sneaky sneaky James Cameron. Well, retroactively "again" since I saw this after <i>Titanic</i>. The ending cuts out the big-issue… More
  A quietly beautiful thriller. The reviving Lindsay scene is so brutal and suspenseful. And again, boobs with a PG-13 rating. Sneaky sneaky James Cameron. Well, retroactively "again" since I saw this after <i>Titanic</i>. The ending cuts out the big-issue question of the film though. Can humans and aliens really forge an alliance? I don't believe we're not xenophobic enough to welcome with open arms a huge-ass alien submarine that rises from the ocean floor.

• Dead A

  
  I don't know what to say about this. Is it good or bad? I think both. But I did felt some part was stupid. Not a very good movie to recommend to someone.

• David L

  
  This a hard film to review given that I like both versions: the theatrical release is an outstanding work of science fiction. The Director's Cut is transcendent of being "science fiction" in any traditional sense. It is simply breathtaking in its scope and commentary… More
  This a hard film to review given that I like both versions: the theatrical release is an outstanding work of science fiction. The Director's Cut is transcendent of being "science fiction" in any traditional sense. It is simply breathtaking in its scope and commentary on the human condition as the Cold War still raged (though who would know that it would soon be over). The key addition to the Director's Cut is what I would term "The Deluge" or the "Day the Earth Stood Still" ending. Brigman, thought to be dead is brought aboard a wondrous alien spacecraft, the likes of which have never been seen in film, and without words are shown the evils of humanity, just as the aliens threaten to destroy the planet with giant water waves. This is interspersed with TV interviews of Americans who are afraid of the escalation of war, but seem very powerless to stop it (a very common feeling in the Cold War era of the 70s and 80s). But, in seeing Brigman's final message to his wife, the aliens' judgment is stayed .... it is done with a great deal of drama without getting melodramatic, and with very little dialog. How this scene was permitted to be dropped from the theatrical release is mind boggling. This scene IS the film. The other scene ... the one that was not cut from the theatrical release (Lindsay's drowning) easily ranks among the great scenes in film history. I'm not sure how far fetched it was .... I could see professional divers scoffing and saying "ludicrous". This is a great example of where the supporting cast is so critical to making something so unbelievable look so believable. James Cameron uses quick cuts among the crew to get very fast reactions of sadness, despair, concern that visually makes the reactions look believable instead of acted or forced. They are overshadowed by Ed Harris' hysterical rant, but they help provide the grounding that keeps the scene believable. The acting and writing are great, though several one liners are handed around to the various characters, Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio give truly beautiful performances ... two people in love who really don't know how to balance everything, and end up walking away from each other until they are forced back together (in some ways, their characters' relationship was very indicative of the 1970s-1980s era as the divorce rate went up and people were finding it difficult to juggle marriage and career) .... it was a wholly believable relationship being portrayed. I have enjoyed Ed Harris in several films, and performances like this show why he is among the greatest working actors to never receive an Oscar ..... Any fan of great story telling, compelling drama, or truly good applied science fiction must see the director's cut of this film. It is easily one of James Cameron's best films, with great works such as Terminator, Terminator 2, Aliens, Titanic and of course Avatar.

• Josh L

  
  The Abyss is one beautiful mess. It can at times become incoherent and frenetic, but other times gorgeous and poetic. It tries meshing many genres and doesn't succeed at all of them, but the love story and sci-fi elements were the strongest in my opinion. I thought it was a… More
  The Abyss is one beautiful mess. It can at times become incoherent and frenetic, but other times gorgeous and poetic. It tries meshing many genres and doesn't succeed at all of them, but the love story and sci-fi elements were the strongest in my opinion. I thought it was a touching love story because of the performances of the leads. The sci-fi elements and especially some of the set pieces & special effects were jaw dropping and hold up incredibly well today. This movie revolutionized special effects and it is easy to see why. Michael Biehn gives a pitiful performance and some of the dialogue is laughable, but they don't totally derail the film. The movie drags a little in the middle and isn't without problems, but I find it worth a viewing for the last 45 minutes alone, which I thought were simply superb and sometimes awe-inspiring.

• Aaron N

  
  Lindsey Brigman: So raise your hand if you think that was a Russian water-tentacle. The other James Cameron film that involves both water and aliens. I don't have much to say about this one. There is enough to like in it. Ed Harris is always cool to watch and a few of the… More
  Lindsey Brigman: So raise your hand if you think that was a Russian water-tentacle. The other James Cameron film that involves both water and aliens. I don't have much to say about this one. There is enough to like in it. Ed Harris is always cool to watch and a few of the Cameron film staples (unfortunately excluding Bill Paxton) make there way into the film, building up some highlights; however, I was never really engaged by the movie. It just didn't have as much of an exciting factor as Cameron's other features. An American nuclear submarine is attacked (during the cold war) and crashes underwater. The navy asks the workers of a nearby underwater oil rig who are joined by a number of navy SEALS to locate and investigate the cause of the crash. As the crew embark on their mission, they encounter a number of difficulties and discover that they may not be alone. There is something else down there, and its up to Ed Harris and Michael Biehn in crazy mode to do something about it.. What struck me the most was how of all things, this movie seems to be Cameron making his version of Close Encounters, while Armageddon seems to have cribbed off of this movie. Anyway, yeah, the movie is ok. It never really bothers me to see dated effects, but it kinda bothered me here, knowing that T2 would come out two years later and still look fucking awesome today. Its also quite long, which once again, without the strong excitement factor, didn't really help. For a Cameron epic, its passable. Alan "Hippy" Carnes: What is all this stuff? Ensign Monk: Fluid breathing system, we just got it. You use it when you go really deep. Alan "Hippy" Carnes: How deep? Ensign Monk: Deep. Alan "Hippy" Carnes: HOW deep? Ensign Monk: It's classified.

• Lenny M

  
  "I'm going deeper underground", Jamiroquai's 1998 song on the Godzilla soundtrack should have been made 9 years earlier to go on this movies' soundtrack. It would have been perfect, the underwater search team diving farther into the deep sea than anyone else… More
  "I'm going deeper underground", Jamiroquai's 1998 song on the Godzilla soundtrack should have been made 9 years earlier to go on this movies' soundtrack. It would have been perfect, the underwater search team diving farther into the deep sea than anyone else before to the funky groove beats of Jamiroquai, badass! The filming for this movie must have been one of the most dangerous productions ever, at least for the actors (not including the stuntman). James Cameron filmed almost exclusively underwater in a 40 ft deep hole in a nuclear power plant. 7 million gallons of water was used to fill the hole and that's where the movie was shot, with the actors completely underwater. They all had to become certified divers. I've read stories on how the actors, especially Ed Harris, experienced psychological breakdowns during the production. The movie was filmed over a 6 month period and more than half of that time James Cameron wasn't even filming the movie, he was experimenting with shit underwater with the actors submerged. The actors went crazy and were spontaneously crying on and off the set. There can't be many of these instances in Hollywood at least comparable to that! Perhaps it's commonplace, who knows? James Cameron does. With all that said, this movie is pretty good and realistic, freakishly. The only downside is there are underwater aliens, but don't let that ruin the movie. If you read into the background of this movies' filming and then watch it, the experience will be great. It's in your face, Ed Harris is literally drowning! Gonna have to watch this movie again, James Cameron is quite the risk taker.

• Anthony L

  
  A fantastic underwater sci-fi adventure and probably my favourite James Cameron film!

• Jason O

  
  A nuclear missile submarine sinks, so the Navy calls on the crew of a deep sea oil rig to travel to the sunken ship and find out if there are any survivors. Lindsey (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) and Bud Brigham (Ed Harris) discover mysterious, oceanic forms that are intelligent while… More
  A nuclear missile submarine sinks, so the Navy calls on the crew of a deep sea oil rig to travel to the sunken ship and find out if there are any survivors. Lindsey (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) and Bud Brigham (Ed Harris) discover mysterious, oceanic forms that are intelligent while they're deep underwater. Unknowingly, Bud and the crew are also carrying a couple of betraying criminals that are making nuclear weapons onboard their ship. Bud and the crew have to do something about these madmen and their nuclear weapons before the bombs blow up the whole ocean. "The Abyss" is a SPECTACULAR movie to say the least. At its time of release it had some of the best special effects ever seen, and also a great plot and superb acting to go along with the effects to make this a great overall movie. "The Abyss" has many turning points such as when everybody thinks Lindsey is dead, and when the underwater creatures first show themselves to the whole crew. With all these turning points comes a lot of miracles as well, but that's what science fiction is all about! The makers of "The Abyss" really knew how to get the suspense going, especially when someone is on the brink of death, and then suppress the heart stopping moments with spectacular outcomes that are real satisfying. I recommend anybody who likes sci-fi movies or just great overall movies to get "The Abyss." I don't see any reason why anybody who likes science fiction wouldn't like this movie. It's one of the few movies that will never get old. With the years going by, "The Abyss" will just get better. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2001. Ed Harris is one of my favorite of the not-so-hyped actors, and this is one of my favorite water movies ever

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>''There's everything you've ever known about adventure, and then there's The Abyss."</i> The crew of an experimental, high-tech submersible is called into action to investigate a mysterious nuclear submarine crash. A series of strange… More
  <i>''There's everything you've ever known about adventure, and then there's The Abyss."</i> The crew of an experimental, high-tech submersible is called into action to investigate a mysterious nuclear submarine crash. A series of strange encounters leads the crew to suspect the accident was caused by an extraterrestrial craft, and that they may be participating in an encounter with an alien species. However, in order to make contact, they must not only brave the abyss, an exceedingly deep underwater canyon, but also deal with the violent actions of one of their own crew members, an increasingly paranoid Navy SEAL officer. Approved by director James Cameron, The Abyss: Special Edition is an extended director's cut of the 1989 underwater science fiction epic, reinstating nearly a half hour of footage removed from the original release under studio pressure. Much of the restored footage places the film's events in a grander political context, as the crew's mission becomes a factor in the dangerous escalation of nuclear tension between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The largest change involves the film's ending, which provides further information on the aliens' mission on Earth, bringing the film to closer to Cameron's intention: a modern remake of Robert Wise's The Day the Earth Stood Still. <u><b>Review</b></u> This is Science Fiction at its best: science fiction based on science fact. It's difficult to find a flaw in this impeccable production. It has above average characters and acting, brilliant editing and camera-work, and top notch special effects. The plot is one that crops up fairly regularly, as is the simple message of the movie; but this is undoubtedly the best of the sudden spate of under sea alien movies that appeared during the 1980's. It is beautiful to look at, and it conveys the religious overtones of an alien encounter quite well. Some scientific accuracy is necessarily compromised in places to make easier and more exciting viewing, but never to the point of fantasy. I think the balance here is just right, and this is - hands down - one of the best sci-fi films I have seen. The ending of the film was really awesome and the thought of "underwater flying objects" still amazes me. Good going there James Cameron.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings