The Abyss (1989)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:41
Fresh:35
Rotten:6
Average Rating:7.1/10
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
Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy
US Box Office: $0
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.... [More]
Starring: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester
Director: James Cameron
Reviews for The Abyss
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
 7/10 |
One need not be a Cameron acolyte to recognise that The Abyss has aged better than some of the films that outshone it back in the day. Full Review |
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A |
The movie was a bear to make and it shows onscreen, parading around a series of mesmerizing set-pieces that look deliciously hard-earned in ways our current CG-drenched filmmaking climate never allows. Full Review |
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A firstrate underwater suspenser with an otherworldly twist, The Abyss suffers from a payoff unworthy of its buildup. Full Review |
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3/5 |
No review available.
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4/5 |
No review available.
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 C+ |
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. Full Review |
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2.5/4 |
What ultimately saves the film are its extraordinary sets and phenomenal Oscar-winning visual effects. Full Review |
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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. Full Review |
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4/5 |
Great blending of spectacle and drama.
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2/5 |
No review available.
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5/5 |
Forget Titanic this is Cameron's best underwater flick
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This overlong concoction is scuppered by dire dialogue, histrionic performances and maudlin sentimentality. Full Review |
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4/4 |
What was once a well-made, well-acted mess is now a very poignant and satisfying sci-fi adventure. Full Review |
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5/5 |
A gorgeous and fascinating underwater adventure.
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3/5 |
A remarkable film...the vfx are super!
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3/5 |
No review available.
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Click to read review Full Review |
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4/5 |
No review available.
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3/5 |
No review available.
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4/5 |
For God's sake, make sure you have the director's cut. The theatrical cut was an abomination.
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April 08, 2007:
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James Cameron staple actor Michael Biehn ("Terminator," "Aliens," "The Abyss") must be happy that the director is coming back to narrative... More...
March 27, 2007:
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They worked pretty darn well together on "The Terminator," "Aliens," and "The Abyss" -- so maybe filmmaker James Cameron and actor Michael Biehn... More...
January 17, 2007:
An Old Friend Checks Out James Cameron's New "Avatar"
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