Science Fiction Movies: Reviews & Discussions

R.I.P. Albert Pyun

Psssh, of course I've seen this movie. And I agree that it's a delightful film by Nicholas Meyer before he did Wrath of Khan. 7/10 from me.

AUGUST 9, 2014 03:03 AM




Disclaimer:
This is a review of the theatrical version
and not the acclaimed special edition.

Terminator. Aliens. True Lies. Titanic. Avatar. James Cameron has directed some of the most beloved, and successful, movies in the history of Hollywood. Then there's The Abyss. If it weren't for Piranha 2, it would be the black sheep of Cameron's directorial career. The film has been over-shadowed by behind-the-scenes horror stories which include crew members being burned by chlorine and actors so furious they punched holes in the wall. Even Cameron agrees that it's the worst experience of his career. And then when released in the summer of 1989, the movie was no match for Batman, Indiana Jones and Mel Gibson. By all accounts, The Abyss was a disappointment and its only moment of glory was winning the Academy Award for Best Special Effects.

Objectively speaking, however, The Abyss is an interesting film and a standout of 1980's cinema. The problem, like in most of Cameron's work, is the screenplay. He combines two different premises and turn them into an odd couple. The first plot is an American submarine that sinks in the Caribbean and its nuclear weapons are at risk of being stolen by the Soviets. And the second plot is the discovery of aliens living in deep sea. If you haven't seen the movie, let me explain it a little better. The first half is a thriller with Michael Biehn as the bad guy and the second half is a Steven Spielberg film. Each half works exceptionally well but when combined it creates a very strange movie.

Holding these two halves together and giving the film an emotional arc is the responsibility of Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. They play an estranged couple who are forced to work together and then reconnect over the course of the story.* And they're the ones who make the film work. Their performances are riveting and you go along with anything Cameron throws at the audience because of them. I think it's a disgrace that Harris and Mastrantonio were not nominated for Academy Awards. Forget the groundbreaking visual effects by ILM. This is a human story with real people and they're the reason you should watch The Abyss.

B+ says Doomsday


*Their characters are based on James Cameron and his then-wife, Gale Anne Hurd, who's the producer of all his 1980's output. But instead of real life imitating art, Cameron divorced Hurd and hooked up with Kathryn Bigelow.