Despite the fact that most of the action occurs below sea level, James Cameron’s “The Abyss” is a disappointment, a film that largely recycles elements of blockbusters such as Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “E.T.,” and Cameron’s own “Aliens,” all superior in their integration of narrative, characters, and special effects.
Grade: C+ (** out of *****)
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Theatrical release poster
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Inevitable comparisons were also made with Spielberg’s “Jaws,” in 1975. Like the opening scene of that film, in “The Abyss,” instead of a big white shark, there’s an underwater UFO that propels the movie into action.
Spotted on Sonar by an American submarine, the “thing” is eerily tracked below deck, where it creates a disaster because of the crew’s panic. Indeed, The sub sinks onto the ledge of the abyss. A team of oil riggers is led by foreman Bud Brigman (Ed Harris), feeling pressure as a rescue mission.
The civilian crew is joined by engineer Lindsey Brigman (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), who “happens” to be Bud’s estranged wife, and a group of navy underwater experts, headed by Lt. Coffey (Michael Biehn, who’s in most of Cameron pictures), whose top-secret priority is the 150 nuclear warheads located on the sub. But the rescue takes on a new shape, when the extra-terrestrial force makes its presence know.
Like “Aliens,” the rescue team is quite colorful and gender-balanced (sort of), including Wilhite (played by George Robert Klek), Sonny Dawson (by J. C. Quinn) and one named Lisa “One Night” Standing, (Kimberly Scott).
In the midst of the action, we get discussions of what went wrong between the Brigmans, who clearly are still in love with each other.
However, lacking the emotional impact and suspense of its predecessor sci-fi movies, “The Abyss” is further spoiled by a disappointingly inane ending.
Spoiler Alert: Cliche Happy Ending
Exiting the platform, the crew of Deep Core is surprised that they are not dead from the sudden decompression. They are delighted to observe Bud walking out of the alien ship, and Lindsey racin to hug him.
What give “The Abyss” some edge and pleasure are the extraordinary sets and visual effects, which deservedly won the Oscars in their respective categories, but for an actioner, it’s quite verbose.
Critics who disliked the film labeled it “The Abyss(mal).”
The picture recouped its budget, but it was not popular at the box office, earning only $90 million.
Cast
Ed Harris as Virgil “Bud” Brigman, Deep Core’s foreman and Lindsey’s estranged husband.
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Dr. Lindsey Brigman, designer of the rig and Bud’s estranged wife.
Michael Biehn as US Navy SEAL Lieutenant Hiram Coffey, the commander of the Navy SEAL team.
Leo Burmester as Catfish De Vries, a worker on the rig and a Vietnam veteran Marine who is skeptical of the SEALs.
Todd Graff as Alan “Hippy” Carnes, a conspiracy theorist who believes that the NTIs have been covered up by the CIA.
John Bedford Lloyd as “Jammer” Willis
J.C. Quinn as Arliss “Sonny” Dawson
Kimberly Scott as Lisa “One Night” Standing
Captain “Kidd” Brewer Jr. as Lew Finler
George Robert Klek as Wilhite, a US Navy SEAL
Christopher Murphy as Schoenick, a US Navy SEAL
Adam Nelson as Ensign Monk, a US Navy SEAL
Chris Elliott as Bendix
Richard Warlock as Dwight Perry
Jimmie Ray Weeks as Leland McBride
J. Kenneth Campbell as DeMarco
William Wisher, Jr. as Bill Tyler, a reporter
Ken Jenkins as Gerard Kirkhill
Credits:
Directed, written by James Cameron
Produced by Gale Anne Hurd
Cinematography Mikael Salomon
Edited by Conrad Buff IV, Joel Goodman, Howard E. Smith
Music by Alan Silvestri
Production and distribution company: 20th Century Fox
Release date: August 9, 1989
Running time: 140 minutes
Budget $47 million
Box office $90 million
