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Abyss
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.
Budget estimate over $50 million. Rated BBFC 12 by the British Board of Film Classification. Copyright 1989 20th Century Fox Film Corporation.
"...[A] stupendously exciting and emotionally engulfing film....With probing intelligence and passionate feeling, Cameron has raised the adventure film very close to the level of art..."
"...Cameron again delves in....An epic story line...and much more..." -- Rating: B
"...A technical marvel with sustained tension, exciting action footage and an emotional wallop in its nearly platonic love story..."
"...THE ABYSS is at heart a sweet movie....The undersea effects are glowingly beautiful..."
"...A great achievement....The cast is solid and the pioneering CG effects still look incredible..."
AWARDS
Best Cinematography (Nominated), Academy Awards, 1989
Best Sound (Nominated), Academy Awards, 1989
Best Art Direction - Set Decoration (Nominated), Academy Awards, 1989 - Leslie Dilley
Best Art Direction - Set Decoration (Nominated), Academy Awards, 1989
Best Visual Effects , Academy Awards, 1989
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