The Abyss (1989)
82 %
Reviews Counted: 39 Fresh: 32 Rotten:7 Average Rating: 6.9/10
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
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. When a hurricane cuts off contact between the surface and the underwater depths, the crew begin to see... [More]
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
Starring: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester, Chris Elliott
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Reviews
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06/19/08
Top Critic
A disappointing follow-up to Cameron's great sci-fi Aliens, The Abyss is too verbose for an actioner and the special effects, striking as they are, are not well integrated into the narrative.
09/19/07
What ultimately saves the film are its extraordinary sets and phenomenal Oscar-winning visual effects.
06/06/07
Top Critic
The attempt to extract the essences of several genres (cold-war submarine thriller, love story, Disney fantasy, pseudomystical SF in the Spielberg mode) and mix them together ultimately leads to giddy incoherence.
06/06/07
Top Critic
This overlong concoction is scuppered by dire dialogue, histrionic performances and maudlin sentimentality.
02/09/06
What was once a well-made, well-acted mess is now a very poignant and satisfying sci-fi adventure.
09/10/05
For God's sake, make sure you have the director's cut. The theatrical cut was an abomination.
07/20/04
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