Review of The Abyss (1989) by Gavin P — 26 Jun 2010

So, I re-watched Avatar, and it sucked. It immediately reminded me of this movie, which is nearly the same length (the Special Edition version, anyway), and is as big a filming challenge as both Avatar and Titanic were.

And for some reason, it's better than both of them. In fact, this is so solid that it's up there with Aliens and T2 as sci-fi/thriller classics. There's a high level of verisimilitude on display here, and that's probably because they actually did film most of this goddamn thing underwater, causing the actors' stress level to explode like decompression sickness.

So, it's like 170 minutes long, but I don't really think any of it drags on. There are some scenes that go on for I think 20 minutes straight, but they build up tension like nothing else, and you find yourself getting lost in the movie.

Unlike fucking Avatar, there are actually characters here that I believe are real, and aren't just fucking dumb archetypes who serve no other purpose. I believe ALL of the people in this movie are who the characters are, and that even extends to the two big stars here, Ed Harris and Michael Biehn.

Now, I'm no Ed Harris connoisseur, but I'd wager that this is his best role. Michael Biehn I guess was lobbied for a Best Supporting Actor nomination, and it's easy to see why. He's intense without chewing scenery, menacing without being a mustache-twiddler, and is slimy in a way not seen since Paul Reiser in Aliens.

It feels like a chore to dissect this movie in the same way I did Avatar, but since I like everything about this movie, I don't really need to dissect it.

It's long, it's thrilling, it's intense, it's fairly emotional at times (without being sentimental), and the visual effects are excellent, submerging you within the depths, and never really letting up.