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Movies / On DVD / The Abyss
The Abyss

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The Abyss (1989)

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Reviews Counted:47

Fresh:12

Rotten:35

Average Rating:2.2/10

Consensus: The utterly gorgeous special effects frequently overshadow the fact that The Abyss is also a totally gripping, claustrophobic thriller, complete with an interesting crew of characters.

Runtime: 5 hrs 26 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Synopsis: After a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks in a remote part of the ocean floor, a team of divers on a prototype underwater oil rig are pressed into service by the U.S. Navy in a rescue attempt.... After a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks in a remote part of the ocean floor, a team of divers on a prototype underwater oil rig are pressed into service by the U.S. Navy in a rescue attempt. When a hurricane cuts off contact between the surface and the underwater depths, the crew begin to see evidence of a strange, possibly alien intelligence at work. While chief Bud Brigman (Ed Harris) bickers with his ex-wife and boss (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), the Navy commander begins to grow increasingly paranoid about the mysterious alien life and threatens to use a recovered nuclear weapon to destroy everything. James Cameron's undersea epic is a tale of sacrifice and hope in an amazing alien landscape that covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface. Featuring landmark visual effects but plagued by production difficulties, the cast and crew were stretched to the breaking point and THE ABYSS became one of the most expensive films ever made in its time, but the final result is a remarkable blend of action and human drama. Scenes cut from the theatrical version, including a number of special effects sequences involving huge tidal waves threatening the cities of the world, are restored in the Special Edition versions. [More]

Starring: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester

Starring: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester, Chris Elliott, Todd Graff

Director: James Cameron

Director: James Cameron
Screenwriter: James Cameron
Producer: Gale Anne Hurd
Composer: Alan Silvestri

[See More Credits]

Reviews for The Abyss

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
03/07/01
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Undersea UFO adventure is breathtaking but intense.

Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | comment Comment
05/01/09
Charles Cassady
Charles Cassady
Common Sense Media

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Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
01/21/04
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk
N/R

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Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment Comment
01/12/04
Film Freak Central
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Dvdrama | comment Comment
07/31/03
Dvdrama
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N/R

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Full Review Source: DVD Review.net | comment Comment
06/19/03
DVD Review.net
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This is what widescreen, surround-sound home theater was designed for: big effects, big sound, big story.

Full Review Source: DVDTown.com | comment Comment
04/16/02
John J. Puccio
John J. Puccio
DVDTown.com
N/R

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Full Review Source: Cinescape | comment Comment
03/23/02
Cinescape
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N/R

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Full Review Source: CurrentFilm.com | comment Comment
12/10/01
Aaron Beierle
Aaron Beierle
CurrentFilm.com
N/R

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Full Review Source: HomeTheaterInfo.com | comment Comment
12/10/01
Doug Maclean
Doug Maclean
HomeTheaterInfo.com
N/R

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Full Review Source: AV Club | comment Comment
10/30/01
AV Club
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N/R

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Full Review Source: digitallyOBSESSED.com | comment Comment
06/27/01
Dan Lopez
Dan Lopez
digitallyOBSESSED.com
N/R

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Full Review Source: Light Views | comment Comment
05/30/01
John Larsen
John Larsen
Light Views
N/R

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Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
02/13/01
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
N/R

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Full Review Source: dvdmg.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
dvdmg.com
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N/R

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Full Review Source: DVD Review e-zine | comment Comment
01/01/00
DVD Review e-zine
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Full Review Source: DVDnett.no | comment Comment
01/01/00
DVDnett.no
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N/R

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Full Review Source: MediaScreen.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
MediaScreen.com
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Full Review Source: Movies for Guys | comment Comment
01/01/00
Movies for Guys
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Full Review Source: Reel.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Reel.com
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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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all

Latest News for The Abyss

August 11, 2008: 20 CGI Classics - From T2 to Batman Begins to WALL-E
We showcase 20 films which have employed Pixar's pioneering software RenderMan to create some of the last two decades' most visually-impressive movies. More...

April 08, 2007: Michael Biehn Hopin', Wishin' and Waitin' for "Avatar"
James Cameron staple actor Michael Biehn ("Terminator," "Aliens," "The Abyss") must be happy that the director is coming back to narrative... More...

March 27, 2007: Biehn and Cameron Back Together on "Avatar"?
They worked pretty darn well together on "The Terminator," "Aliens," and "The Abyss" -- so maybe filmmaker James Cameron and actor Michael Biehn... More...

January 17, 2007: An Old Friend Checks Out James Cameron's New "Avatar"
Well here's some James Cameron news that's interesting if not all that surprising: In addition to the already-cast Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana, the "Avatar"... More...

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