Review of The Abyss (1989) by Miriam S — 20 Aug 2010

Marvelous. A nuclear submarine crashes in the ocean due to a supernatural occurrence. The closest people around are the ones on an underwater oil rig, so the military enlists them to search for any possible survivors.

This movie is difficult to categorize, because it is so many genres: action, sci-fi, thriller, suspense, some elements of horrorâ?¦ It succeeds on every genre it touches. It is definitely not a horror movie, but that doesnâ??t mean it isnâ??t scary; being trapped underwater is a terrifying sensation, and this movie is the essence of that feeling.

You can really tell just how much Cameron loves the water, and the directorial choices he makes cause you to feel like you are along with the crew, underwater in claustrophobic isolation. I watched the 170-minute cut, and for a three hour long movie, it is paced perfectly; there isnâ??t a dull moment to be found.

All the acting is top notch, but Ed Harris in particular knocks it out of the park as the lead; this is his best role. I was going back and forth on giving this 5 stars and 4 1/2 stars, because I wasnâ??t a huge fan of the ending, as it gets a little on the preachy side and ends a little too tidily for my liking which does end up detracting from the film.

However, 7/8ths of this movie is a 5 star movie, so Iâ??ll round up.