The Abyss Reviews and Ratings


  • twraiderfan
    December 3, 2009
    twraiderfan
    claasic Syfy. Ed Harris rocks
  • DrZeek
    December 3, 2009
    DrZeek
    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 Came...( read more)ron 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.
  • hamm1365
    November 20, 2009
    hamm1365
    The special effects in this movie are waaaayyyy ahead of its time, Cameron knows how to handle the special effects very well.
  • odonoghuematthew
    November 16, 2009
    odonoghuematthew
    Best Sound editing 1989
  • Yelverton
    November 8, 2009
    Yelverton
    Great sci-fi film. The liquid oxygen is just downright cool.
  • GreenGoblin92
    November 7, 2009
    GreenGoblin92
    A great film. It has an almost perfect CGI (that still hold up today), great cast, engaging story and fantastic music. A beautiful, touching, suspenseful and an amazing film. I'm saddened that it's underrated.
  • doctordoom
    November 5, 2009
    doctordoom
    This is a solid sci-fi adventure about ateam sentn down to some of the deepest depths of the ocean to retrieve a sunken nuclear submarine. They soon discover a unknown intelligent life living under these deep oceans. The film has a solid story and a great cast. Plus the F/X of th...( read more)e water creatures are great. A bit slow at times but overall was a solid movie. Worth a one time watch.
  • hugenymetsfan
    November 2, 2009
    hugenymetsfan
    not enough credit goes to this film. It was before its time
  • Chiefilms
    October 18, 2009
    Chiefilms
    "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 ...( read more)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.
  • JBainy
    October 15, 2009
    JBainy
    love the water tentacle
  • bryanwells
    October 7, 2009
    bryanwells
    Just watched this again, and I really enjoyed it.
  • juliegervick1
    October 6, 2009
    juliegervick1
    Good thriller but overly long. Loved the chemistry between the two leads--good love story. Good special effects.
  • CocoCoopah
    October 6, 2009
    CocoCoopah
    I enjoyed it.

    Only problem I had with it is the 'creature'. The movie would of still worked without the dopey fuck of a thing.
  • stevenblake2
    September 28, 2009
    stevenblake2
    aliens controlling water and coffee cutting his wrists under the table. genious
  • ElCochran90
    September 18, 2009
    ElCochran90
    Mesmerizing dramatic sci-fi / fantasy classic epic, under the sea :) Amazing effects and a deep powerful story. A must see. Close Encounters of the Third Kind under the sea.

    70/100
  • SirPant
    September 16, 2009
    SirPant
    A fantastic underwater sci-fi adventure and probably my favourite James Cameron film!
  • goodfeelintoknow
    September 11, 2009
    goodfeelintoknow
    Sad, creepy, scarey,claustriphobic, uplifting and makes you think. Overall well done and there should have been a sequel.
  • zanarkandguardian
    September 3, 2009
    zanarkandguardian
    Isn't that just like James Cameron to throw in cheesy one-liners, even in his good movies?
  • jscottcorley
    August 25, 2009
    jscottcorley
    Great cast and a tremendous storytelling job by Cameron. Would you let your wife drown to save her? Tough call.
  • HellsOwnAngel
    August 24, 2009
    HellsOwnAngel
    This is the first Sci-Fi movie i fell in love with. I t quickly became one of my favorites to watch :)
  • MAUR1CE
    August 23, 2009
    MAUR1CE
    This was a grand deep sea adventure, this director is really great, with some fantastic acting and stunning visual effects.
  • LuckyLou1
    August 19, 2009
    LuckyLou1
    Excellent movie. Well done; photography and acting are great.
  • wataki2
    August 13, 2009
    wataki2
    seen it but dont really remember how it went.
  • Antonrdm65
    August 7, 2009
    Antonrdm65
    A new sci-fi classic
  • zakillia
    August 4, 2009
    zakillia
    This is a really good James Cameron movie for it's time. The cgi isn't bad for it's time and the acting is well done.
  • LCampM2
    August 1, 2009
    LCampM2
    Add a review (optional)...
  • BurtHarbinson
    July 19, 2009
    BurtHarbinson
    Rewatching this movie gave me good feelings inside my body. Only after I was drenched in anxiety, and unbearable suspense.

    A few interesting facts. The Abyss was filmed partly in an unfinished nuclear plant in South Carolina, where the largest underwater sea-set ever was constru...( read more)cted. It housed over 26.5 million gallons of water. The entire crew took a weeks worth of deep sea diving training before shooting, as roughly 40% of the shots were taken underwater.

    A lot of people say that this movie does not hold together until the end, and that it get's a little silly. I would highly recommend anyone to watch the special edition Director's cut if you have the opportunity.
  • dukethepcdr
    July 16, 2009
    dukethepcdr
    Love this movie. One of Ed Haris's best. Great alien effects even for how old it is. Good acting by all cast really.
  • lennyd44
    July 12, 2009
    lennyd44
    Gritty adventure for its time, one of a kind, and definitely a sci-fi classic. Solid performance by the cast especially Ed Harris. Great direction from Cameron, he knows the meaning of "intensity" Did not feel like it was too long as it was fascinating the whole time.
  • JaneDoeNili
    July 5, 2009
    JaneDoeNili
    It's a superb underwater alien sci-fi flick. Just awesome.
  • CptFG
    June 26, 2009
    CptFG
    Visually stunning film filled with magical moments.
  • KellyRikDixon
    June 26, 2009
    KellyRikDixon
    James Cameron's underwater sci-fi epic 'The Abyss' ties a rather tiresome love story together with an explosively exciting deep sea alien adventure that more than compensates with fancy performances from Ed Harris, Michael Biehn, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and some typicall...( read more)y overwhelming Cameron-style visuals. Anyone who claims the aliens were unnecessary or not a big enough part of the story just doesn't understand the point of the film- the subtle introduction of the fantastical elements to the plot just makes the movie more realistic and the ending even more astounding. Sure, the romance is seriously lame in parts, but it's totally worth it just to hear Harris scream 'God-dammit you bitch, you never backed away from anything in your life' and slap his wife across the face...although I think we can all agree Miss Pretention should have stayed the fuck dead so we wouldn't have had to listen to her repulsively vomitous speech in the following scene. Whatever, great film from one of the most refined sci-fi writers/directors living or dead, that is however understandably forgettable when put up against 'T2' and 'Aliens'...
  • Surfer567Rosa
    June 24, 2009
    Surfer567Rosa
    watch the sphere first, it will make you appreciate the abyss a lot more.
  • SuicidalFrootLoop
    June 21, 2009
    SuicidalFrootLoop
    Good but not very good directing
  • SperoHawk
    June 14, 2009
    SperoHawk
    Scared the crap out of me the first time I watched it.
  • JexyMG
    June 11, 2009
    JexyMG
    The Directors Cut is where its at. I honestly haven't seen the theatrical release in so long... I don't even remember how it is. But the Directors Cut rules. It runs slow, but is intense and full of powerful moments. A nice message, it would probably have to take something like w...( read more)hat happens in the movie for the world to end the chaos. So cross your fingers and hope for friendly aliens.... and while you're waiting, check this movie out.
  • vimalnta
    June 10, 2009
    vimalnta
    Meticulously crafted but also ponderous and predictable, James Cameron's 1989 deep-sea close-encounter epic reaffirms one of the oldest first principles of cinema: everything moves a lot more slowly underwater. Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastranton...
  • Saladin208
    June 7, 2009
    Saladin208
    Best Cameron film ever.
  • deadmansshoes
    June 3, 2009
    deadmansshoes
    Only watch the special edition.
  • egonycbkp
    June 2, 2009
    egonycbkp
    This is a cool movie. James Cameron does it again.
  • JupiterKitty
    May 27, 2009
    JupiterKitty
    I love all of Cameron's work.
  • eleiaj
    May 24, 2009
    eleiaj
    Good cast. Great movie
  • shag2469
    May 20, 2009
    shag2469
    Awesome.. Great cast, great special affects and make sure you get the one with the director's cut with the extended scenes they add a lot more to the story particularly towards the end....
  • occamsrazor1
    May 18, 2009
    occamsrazor1
    Now this movie had the best and most advanced FX I had ever seen. I loved how they made this movie. every thing was truly underwater. One heck of a great movie even to this day.
  • maikeldeleur
    May 14, 2009
    maikeldeleur
    asthonishing and original, great acting
  • gizmo453996
    May 5, 2009
    gizmo453996
    get the directors cut

Summary

The Abyss Summary