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The Abyss
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The Abyss (1989) More at IMDbPro »

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The Abyss (1989) -- A civilian diving team are enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and face danger while encountering an alien aquatic species.

Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   43,320 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 18% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
James Cameron
Writer (WGA):
James Cameron (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Abyss on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
9 August 1989 (USA) more
Tagline:
A place on earth more awesome than anywhere in space. more
Plot:
A civilian diving team are enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and face danger while encountering an alien aquatic species. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 12 nominations more
User Comments:
This top-notch underwater saga is one of my favorite films. more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Ed Harris ... Virgil 'Bud' Brigman

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio ... Lindsey Brigman

Michael Biehn ... Lt. Hiram Coffey
Leo Burmester ... Catfish De Vries
Todd Graff ... Alan 'Hippy' Carnes

John Bedford Lloyd ... Jammer Willis
J.C. Quinn ... Arliss 'Sonny' Dawson

Kimberly Scott ... Lisa 'One Night' Standing
Captain Kidd Brewer Jr. ... Lew Finler (as Capt. Kidd Brewer Jr.)
George Robert Klek ... Wilhite

Christopher Murphy ... Schoenick, SEAL Team Member

Adam Nelson ... Ensign Monk, SEAL Team Member
Dick Warlock ... Dwight Perry (as Richard Warlock)
Jimmie Ray Weeks ... Leland McBride

J. Kenneth Campbell ... DeMarco
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
El abismo (Argentina) (Venezuela) [es]
A mélység titka (Hungary) [hu]
Abyss (France) [fr]
Abyss (Italy) [it]
Abyss (Spain) [es]
Abyss (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Abyss - Abgrund des Todes (West Germany) [de]
Abyss - Syvyys (Finland) [fi]
Afgrond (Netherlands) [nl]
Avgrunden (Sweden) [sv]
Dybet (Denmark) (video title) [da]
Glebia (Poland) (informal title) [pl]
I avyssos (Greece) [el]
Isigin Bittigi Yer (Turkey: Turkish title) (informal alternative title) [tr]
L'abysse (Canada: French title) [fr]
O Abismo (Portugal) [pt]
O Segredo do Abismo (Brazil) [pt]
Otchlan (Poland) [pl]
Propast (Czechoslovakia) [cs]
more
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for language and some scenes of action. (special edition)
Runtime:
138 min | USA:171 min (special edition)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (DuArt)
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)
Certification:
Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (special edition) (2000) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:AA (Ontario) (special edition) (2000) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) (also special edition) | Canada:PG (Ontario) (original cut) | Portugal:M/12 | Malaysia:U | South Korea:12 | USA:PG-13 (Certificate #29764) | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Iceland:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 (special edition) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | West Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL (special edition)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Director Trademark: [James Cameron] [title fade]at the beginning of the movie, the blue "Y" from the opening credits extends and then fades to the underwater scenery with the submarine. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When they are reviving Lindsey, there is one point where Bud slaps her and tells her to "fight". The moment before he slaps her you can see her blink in anticipation of the slap. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
USS Montana Captain: Sixty knots? No way, Barnes. The Reds don't have anything that fast.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Making of 'Jurassic Park' (1995) (V) more
Soundtrack:
Too Much Pressure more

FAQ

Why was there no blood after Coffey's ship implodes in the abyss?
Why did Coffey go crazy?
After Lindsey drowns, isn't it impossible for her to still be alive after having her heart stop for so long?
more
57 out of 66 people found the following comment useful:-
This top-notch underwater saga is one of my favorite films., 8 December 2004
9/10
Author: Scott LeBrun from Winnipeg, Canada

Epic-scale, intensely emotional science-fiction/drama/thriller in which an underwater drilling crew, led by Virgil "Bud" Brigman (Ed Harris) is recruited by the Navy to assist in a dangerous rescue mission. Eventually they all discover they are not alone deep down there in the water...

I love this movie, what more can I say? Many underwater movies have got nothing on it. The only problem is the running time: 145 minutes, extended to 171 minutes for the special edition. Some people may therefore have a hard time sticking with it, especially those who can't stand material that they deem "sappy".

It is in any event an impressive, major undertaking for writer/director James Cameron that provides acting showcases not just for the leads (Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn) but a fine supporting cast filled with good character actors.

I think it is a very slick, professionally handled movie with stunning special effects that had to have been state-of-the-art at the time. The drama is compelling (there is no shortage of crises to overcome) and the dialog is often good.

I sure have to admire Cameron for having a successful track record. All of his movies have been good (not to mention big money-makers), with the possible exception of his directing debut "Piranha Part II: The Spawning", which I still haven't seen.

And once again, an excellent score by Alan Silvestri.

9/10

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Liquid oxygen bachlein
How did YOU rank the Abyss? terminatorguide
Official James Cameron website? anne_something
beyond bad dan121973-1
The Resuscitation Scene nuajer
For the divers out there Thephantomharpoonist
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