The Abyss
3.9
(2.5K)
Adventure
Action
Thriller
Science Fiction
1989
140 min
PG-13
A civilian oil rig crew is recruited to conduct a search and rescue effort when a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks. One diver soon finds himself on a spectacular odyssey 25,000 feet below the ocean's surface where he confronts a mysterious force that has the power to change the world or destroy it.
Starring:
Thriller
Science Fiction
Adventure
Action
7.5/10
83%
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"I give this 3.5. Jim Cameron may be hard to work with but he is a perfectionist which benefits the audience. An incredible underwater adventure."
L K
Linda Kelly
"Cool James Cameron movie from 35 years ago still holds up. Amazing special effects. Before T-2."
C F
Claire Freeman
"4½/5⭐
+ The Abyss is a classic, overlooked scifi adventure. It is done in the vein of Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, but featured underwater, and is a landmark movie in the arena of special effects. Its use of computer generated effects is the precursor to what we would later see in James Cameron's follow-up movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day. The Abyss is one of the many movies that uses such effects in a way that elevates the story instead of upstaging it. It also features a simple plot held together by a perfect cast, chief among them being Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn. The drama in this movie is very effective, making the suspension of disbelief effortless when we are confronted with less plausible occurrences. What I love about this movie is its good-heartedness. The filmmakers wanted to produce a captivating scifi action movie with characters we care about, and they succeeded with flying colors. In the blockbuster age we now live in, this shows you how the current superhero craze feels more like an assembly line of entertainment rather than fun movies with characters that feel authentic. This is a wonderful movie, right up there with the best of Spielberg or anything made today that has a half a billion dollar budget.
- The beginning is fun, though it goes through the motions with settling in with the characters. It made me think of Michael Bay's Armageddon (even though this movie came first). It takes awhile for the emotional depth to hit its stride, and some melodramatic moments come close to ending the suspension of disbelief.
Overall: One of the more underrated scifi blockbusters that is a landmark in special effects, has miles of heart and a great cast. One of James Cameron's earliest efforts and easily one of his best. I like it even more than his Avatar movies."
"My introduction into Sci-fi movies... Its still my favorite ❤️🩷"
S
Suzy
"Really Good!!!"
R M
Rob McCracken
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