(Note: this review is only for The Abyss. epinions.com does not have this film listed as an individual title.)

After his commercial and critical successes with The Terminator (1984) and Aliens (1986), director James Cameron had the Hollywood clout for an even more ambitious project. The Abyss (1989) was not only challenging due to its special effects, but because of its underwater setting.

The cast all had to become trained divers, and hours were spent each day in decompression chambers. Costs escalated, and the budget eventually reached $70 million. This enormous amount of money for its day would later be eclipsed by future Cameron projects Terminator 2 (1991) and Titanic (1997). Unlike the Abyss, however, those two films were blockbusters that silenced the studio accountants.

In Aliens, the intelligent extra-terrestrials were hideous, slimy monsters. In The Abyss, they are decidedly more friendly. Cameron learned the hard way that terrifying aliens make better movies than wimpy aliens. A scary alien creates conflict, while a benevolent alien seems like a retread of E.T. or Close Encounters.

The aliens in The Abyss are translucent and fluorescent. They're like extremely intelligent jellyfish. Even more impressive, they have godlike powers. They can defy the laws of physics, and can depressurize humans instantly without harm. They also get great cable reception, and without having to pay $45 a month for the privilege. Does AT&T Broadband know about them?

It's curious, then, that these fantastic Roswellites play such a small role in the film. They hardly show up until the end. Most of the plot is far more pedestrian. It is divided into three storylines: Rescue and Recover, Reconcile the Estranged Couple, and Stop the Deranged Navy Seal.

The first subplot should be the most important, but it progresses in fits and starts as the object of recovery changes. The movie's best opportunity for clarity would have been to concentrate on this aspect. The early scenes of exploring a sunken vessel are among the best in the film.

The second storyline involves married couple Bud (Ed Harris) and Lindsey (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). Reunited on the same submarine due to an improbable coincidence, they are nearly divorced, but once in close quarters together the romantic sparks begin to fly. This subplot works relatively well, partly because Harris and Mastrantonio are good actors, and partly because cooperation is essential to their survival.

The problem is that the drama of their relationship takes precedence over their mission. When Bud is sinking into the depths to defuse a bomb, the experience is felt not through him, but through the understandably concerned Lindsey.

The weakest element of the film is the villain, the whacked-out Navy Seal Coffey (Michael Biehn). Biehn was a favorite of Cameron, having had key roles in The Terminator and Aliens. But his intensity doesn't work this time, because his character lacks credibility. Not even the most anti-military activist would buy the image of Coffey cutting his own arm with a knife over and over again, for no apparent reason.

Recently, a special edition DVD was released that restored over 28 minutes of footage. The film's continuity is improved, but it still suffers from jumbled storylines, all-powerful jellyfish aliens, and a disappointing villain.

The Academy Awards was less unkind than myself. The Abyss won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects, and received nominations for its art direction, cinematography, and sound. The film has since secured a niche as a cult film, and certainly Cameron learned lessons from the production that he put to good use with the more successful Titanic. (47/100)

k@filmsgraded.com, filmsgraded.com


Recommended:
No

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: None of the Above
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older