1989’s The Abyss counts as an early triumph for James Cameron as it delivers a riveting, well-thought-out, speculative fiction story on an epic scale that also adds a level of dramatic intensity rarely seen in sci fi cinema.
What Is It?
The Abyss opens with an American submarine encountering a strange object moving very quickly through the depths of the Atlantic. The object causes the submarine–which is carrying multiple nuclear warheads–to crash with all onboard apparently lost. The military then commandeers an underwater drilling platform headed up by Virgil “Bud” Brigman (Ed Harris) to assist in the recovery of the downed submarine which rests at the edge of a deep undersea trench (beneath which lies a vast abyss). Military personnel are sent down to work with the crew of the platform, but they quickly begin barking orders at the civilian personnel and tensions run high. To make matters worse, the designer of the drilling platform, who is Bud’s estranged wife (Lindsey Brigman played by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), is along for the ride. In their attempts to survey the submarine, they encounter a seemingly benign alien presence and attempt to communicate with it, though the paranoid Lt. Coffey (Michael Biehn) frightens it away. Meanwhile, above the ocean a hurricane is moving into the area and tensions are running high between the American and Soviet governments over the ultimate fate of the submarine. Through a series of mishaps between the crew of the drilling platform and the military personnel, an armed nuclear warhead plunges several miles down into the depths of the trench. Bud must then go on what appears to be a one-way mission to disarm the warhead.
Cast: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester, Todd Graff, Kimberly Scott
Crew: James Cameron (Writer/Director/Executive Producer), Gale Anne Hurd (Executive Producer), Alan Silvestri (Music)
Original Release: 1989
Legacy:
This movie did not make many waves when it first came out due to its mediocre Box Office performance, but with the release of the extended cut it has been recognized as a true accomplishment in sci fi filmmaking and should be considered one of the greatest movies of all time in that genre.
A Closer Look:
You may think that you have seen The Abyss, but if you saw the version originally released in theaters in 1989 what you actually saw was one of the greatest injustices in the history of cinema (apparently self-inflicted by Cameron himself, though). That was an edited version that cut about twenty minutes out of the masterpiece that James Cameron originally created. As it turns out, those twenty minutes are as crucial to the film as the smile on the Mona Lisa’s face. The original edit of the movie deserves only two and a half, maybe three stars out of five. The additional twenty minutes moves the rating up to a full five stars (highest rating) and elevates this into the top tier of any list science fiction movies in my opinion.
(WARNING, This Paragraph Contains Spoilers) In the version originally released, Bud disarms the warhead yet appears to be trapped at the bottom of the abyss. Then the aliens, who we have learned almost nothing about, show up to save the day. They take him and the others from the platform back up to the surface and all is fine and dandy as a bright new day shines. I remember seeing this in the theater when it first came out, and when the movie ended I thought it was just at the intermission because there was no way that they could end what had been such a riveting and engaging story up to that point like that. But they did, and I did not realize until years later when the director’s cut made it to DVD just what a phenomenal movie Cameron had crafted. The twenty-plus minutes sliced from the original release focused more on the mounting tensions between the Russians and Americans and gave a lot more info on the aliens. This footage also contained the gut-wrenching scenes where the aliens launch enormous tidal waves as a wake-up call to the major world powers. Without this crucial footage, the movie is just not complete.
There are many reasons to recommend the fully restored version of The Abyss. Technically, it has few peers. It gave us a rare hard science fiction movie that is scientifically accurate, and that was brought to life with virtually flawless special effects (in the pre-CGI-overload era). The story is very engaging as it unfolds steadily and smartly (though at a riveting pace) and takes many twists and turns, and the aliens and their importance are kept a mystery until the end. And the movie also has something often missing in science fiction: drama. Both movies and television shows in the genre often tend to be overly intellectual or far too melodramatic. The Abyss, in contrast, delivers a dramatic story through and through with an impeccable cast that was certainly up to the challenge. The scenes between Bud and his wife (particularly when he tries to revive her after she drowns and when she talks to him as he descends into the depths) are among the most engaging I have ever seen in any movie, sci fi or not. (If you can make it through those scenes without shedding a tear, you should check your pulse.) The film also has a serious social message behind its action, and Cameron managed to deliver it with much more finesse than he did years later with the overly derivative and self-righteous statements of Avatar.
Not surprisingly, The Abyss did poorly at the box office upon its original release. But since its revival on DVD (and briefly in the theaters), fans and critics have realized what an important piece of science fiction cinema Cameron actually created. While his Avatar films have received tons of praise and are considered sci fi classics, The Abyss stands out as much more of an accomplishment for the filmmaker. If you have not seen the full version of this movie, then it’s time that you give this one a spin and enjoy one of the all-time great films of science fiction or any genre.
>>ALSO READ: 25 Must-Watch Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies
Why Was There No Sequel?
This movie had only a mediocre performance at the Box Office, pulling in $90 million in receipts against a budget of $47 million (which was a huge sum of money for a film at that time). That alone would have made it difficult for a sequel to follow, but the fact is that this movie needs no continuation. It tells a complete story and leaves little remaining for a sequel. Sure, Cameron could focus on the undersea aliens in a second movie, but they worked better as a mysterious presence on Earth separate from humans. Perhaps there is still some story potential there, but I believe this film stands best alone.
Should It Be Rebooted?
No. The extended cut of The Abyss delivers a nearly flawless science fiction movie that offers some interesting sci fi concepts while also delivering a hard-hitting drama with social commentary. And the special effects still stand up today. So there is nothing that a reboot could offer. I could see Hollywood execs trying to capitalize on the property and the James Cameron name, though, rebooting it in hopes that a second time around would pull in more receipts at the Box Office. But I believe that would be a very bad idea.
Interesting Facts:
The underwater sequences were filmed in two specially constructed tanks built in the abandoned Cherokee Nuclear Power Plant near Gaffney, South Carolina, and the Deepcore set is actually still there. The cast spent so much time underwater, that they would have to go through decompression when coming out.
The fluid breathing apparatus shown in the movie is real and the rats used in the scene where Hippy’s pet was submerged (there were five total) all were made to breath the fluid and all survived. In Britain, that scene was edited out because the Royal Veterinarian disapproved of it and the American Humane Association also rated the film unacceptable because of it.
Where Can You Watch It?
The movie has been released on DVD and 4K and is widely available (the Blu-ray has gone out of print). It can also be purchased VOD and it is streaming on Hulu.
