SummaryWhen a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks, one diver (Harris) soon finds himself on an odyssey 25,000 feet below the ocean's surface where he confronts a mysterious force that has the power to change the world or destroy it. (20th Century Fox)
Directed By:James Cameron
Written By:James Cameron
The Abyss
Metascore
Generally Favorable
62
User score
Generally Favorable
7.6
My Score
Drag or tap to give a rating
Hover and click to give a rating
Not available in your country?
ExpressVPN
Get 3 Extra months free
$6.67/mth
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
62
50% Positive
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
43% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
7% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
100
Stupendously exciting and emotionally engulfing... With probing intelligence and passionate feeling, Cameron has raised the adventure film very close to the level of art.
75
The Abyss is at its best during such moments of reverie-when the abstract metaphors and the unique physicality of the deep sea setting come together to produce powerful, unvoiced meanings. The film does have its beckoning depths; what it needs is a more polished surface. [9 Aug 1989, Tempo, p.1]
User score
Generally Favorable
7.6
82% Positive
145 Ratings
145 Ratings
13% Mixed
23 Ratings
23 Ratings
5% Negative
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
Jul 21, 2025
10
"The Abyss" (1989) is one of the most undepreciated movies made by James Cameron. Released in 1988 it didn't got the attention in movie theaters as his previous hits like "Terminator" and "Aliens" did. A for a reason - this is a great film that requires time to tell its story. Revisiting this movie in 2025 on newly restored 4K UHD release on home media, it blew me away - the special edition is a great film. It has great special effects (Oscar award), great acting by leads Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio - the scene with them involving rescuing a wife after drowning is Oscar worthy - its a powerful scene and is as good as it gets. Michael Biehn was a terrific villain - a man who is doing right but on a mission he is not capable to do due to a sheer pressure. The ending of a special edition can be a little silly, but not the message it carries - only a bit sharper writing would helped here, but overall it gives a movie much more "deeper" meaning. Overall, "The Abyss" is a real classic, a real must see movie for any sci-fi adventure. At running time 2 h 45 min (special edition is ~25 min. longer then theatrical cut) it does has its dragging moments, but they are nothing compared to overall quality of a movie. Not Cameron's best film by far, but to any other filmmaker it would be a crowning achievement to make a film like "The Abyss".
Jul 15, 2025
10
“And thus, through the serene tranquillities of the tropical sea, among waves whose hand-clappings were suspended by the encircling spell, floated the forms of the nursing whales, and those that by their enormous girth seemed shortly to become mothers again.Floating on their sides, the mothers wholly inattentive to their offspring, only now and then, by some flash of light beneath the surface, could be seen the young calves in the watery nursery.”
- **** (Chapter 87, “The Grand Armada”)
75
The Abyss ends with a whimper. But it starts out with a bang that lasts for an exciting hour and a half. And that's enough to make it worth taking the plunge.
60
Weirdly, the film’s problem is that it revs up the tension so much that, like one character’s submersible sinking into the high pressure of the titular Abyss, it finally bursts. The climax – as Bud descends to defuse the nuke and meet the aliens – just doesn’t work.
50
Harris and Mastrantonio do have a strong death and resurrection sequence, but long before that, one is pining for a rubber shark or a plastic octopus -- anything, in fact, out of a good old low-tech thriller. [14 Aug 1989, p.79]
40
How many times can we be awestruck by Day-Glo Gumbies? And why do these creatures always travel with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?
38
The Abyss' isn't abysmal, but it's a replay of hits we've already seen - a recycled "close encounters of the wet kind'' with far too few ideas of its own. [18 Aug 1989, Arts, p.10]
Jun 19, 2020
10
This is probably the most underrated of Cameron's movies. It laid the foundation for much of what we see after, and has some absolutely stellar performances by the cast.
Jan 9, 2022
9
Abyss is an excellent Sci-Fi movie from James Cameron. Good production, realism of what is happening and great acting by Ed Harriss. Despite the great timing, suspense in the film holds the viewer. I advise everyone to watch, for some reason I do not understand about Abyss, many forget when they talk about James Cameron's filmography. The only disappointing thing is the children's finale with aliens.
Apr 16, 2024
6
Probably the firsy Cameron's movie I'd watched. I had a better memory of this movie. In 1989, I'm sure it was a visual revolution but today this not so good.
Apr 5, 2020
6
For a movie of the year 1989 the movie is good, especially the special effects are incredibly great. The setting is perfect, because there are not so many AAA movies from the deep sea. The plot was also good and interesting.
But the movie is too long and the worst part is Lindsey, she destroyed almost the whole movie with her overconfident and masculin behaviour. especially in the first part of the movie she was unbearable. Without her the movie could be easily 9/10
Nov 24, 2010
6
The true wonder of the movie seems to take a direct nosedive toward the abyss after temporarily becoming a long war crime drama. Special effects will grab anyone's attention, especially in 1989's case. The characters: developed. Romance: average. Action is "average" as well. The plotline is the center of attention, and it wouldn't be much of a movie without it. James Cameron's vision of aliens under the sea are not what you would expect. They appear like giant electric sea creatures that are distorted in a way, making the line hazy between a giant sea creature never before discovered and something that actually came from space. By the end, everyone could be thinking "entertainment under the surface, who knew?"
Production Company:
- 20th Century Fox
- Pacific Western
- Lightstorm Entertainment
Release Date:Aug 9, 1989
Duration:2 h 18 m
Rating:PG-13
Tagline:Believe your eyes.
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Win & 4 Nominations
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 1 Win & 7 Nominations
20/20 Awards
• 2 Wins & 4 Nominations
