The Abyss (1989)
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.
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Powerful
I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.
I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.
At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.
The Abyss is one of Jim Cameron's lesser known efforts and one can see why. Its rather long, most of it is underwater(probably 90%) and the subject just might not be of interest to most people. The film itself is more known for its behind the scene shenanigans. The plot takes a bunch of civilian divers who go down to the trenches of the Ocean to recover a lost submarine. What they don't realize is that there are far more powerful forces at play here. The original version of the film was derided on release but a director's cut with additional footage sets most of the detractors straight. The last few minutes of this director's cut are rather good so watch this version of the film. Still, the film is just alright and nowhere on the level of say The Terminator or Titanic.
Giving this boring, too long piece of crap 3 stars for the visual effects of 1989, for which somebody out of their mind gave it an Oscar. Otherwise, it deserves 0.
"The Abyss" is absolutely wonderful to watch. The SFX are beautiful, both practical and computer. But I think it is the characters, their relationships to each other that provide the heart of the movie. And the heart of that heart are the Brigmans. "The Abyss" is science fiction with romance at it's core. Cameron is a hardcore romantic. His movies are about love. In "The Abyss" Ed Harris has an occasion to kiss his wedding ring. The scene is powerful, explodes with joy. Every time I see it I feel it.
I was only able to manage watching 20 painful minutes of The Abyss before turning it off. The dialog by today's standards was just horrific. I've watched a number of sci-fi movies from this era and none of them damaged my soul quite like this. The introduction of Lindsey Brigman was very clichéd. Yes Cameron we get it... she's the sassy intellectually gifted woman and the chief engineer aboard the submarine. With her status she's in charge of a bunch of male navy SEALS and surprise, surprise, they don't respect her.Briman's leader status is unbelievable and even her mere presence on a United States submarine is a joke in itself. Although women have been allowed to serve in the Navy for many years now, no woman ever went on a voyage in a US submarine until 26 YEARS after this movie was made!