Product ReviewsThe Abyss (DVD, 2000, 2-Disc Set, Special Edition)

The Abyss Redux

I love just about anything James Cameron puts his hands on, and really enjoyed my first viewing of The Abyss: The cool shift of Sci-Fi to the underwater world was a welcomed change from deep space adventures. The effort put into the production brought spectacular verisimilitude to a very technically difficult setting. Having said that, I tend to agree with the critics and viewing audiences that the theatrical ending didn't do the entire story justice. I had already bought "Aliens" Directors cut, and felt the extra footage helped clarify Cameron's story, and was well worth the screen time. I wanted to see if the same magic was hidden within his special edition of The Abyss. I still enjoyed this version of the film, and almost any extra footage of a movie I like is appreciated, but a lot of the extra (edited out of the theater version) is screening of old television excerpts of U.S./Soviet conflict, used to help explain the H20/aliens intentions, and recurring CG of a cataclysmic wave they send to warn us. The TV spots make the story dated, where it should otherwise be timeless/ still believably modern. The explanation that "Hey. they watch our television!" wedged global politics hard into the story, and seemed forced, detracting from the galant hero's simple struggle to survive. I understand Mr. Cameron's desire to infuse a greater theme into the narrative, but in the end it was difficult to swallow a race of aliens who monitor, and understand us better than we do ourselves, and (the wave weapon of the Special Edition) have essentially ultimate power over nature on Earth, who needed to be rescued from a clumsy attempt to blow them up.
I bought it. Don't regret it. Enjoyed learning more about the decisions that went into the released version.Read full review...

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James Cameron and 20th Century Fox Need to Put This on BD

This is the best version to get and it is branded in THX! Unfortunately this is still not available on Blu-ray and this DVD is formatted for a 4:3 television presentation. It is letterboxed. On a 16:9 HDTV you will see a small rectangular image surrounded by empty space. Scale the image to fit by zooming in with your remote control to fill the sides of the screen.

Theatrical and Special Edition cuts are included.Read full review...

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Bonus Edition

If you thought the original theatrical release was exciting; this also features the director's cut, too. BONUS: You can watch the movie with it's cut scenes included in it as opposed to just the cut scenes on their own.Read full review...

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The abyss vs space

The movie is a real classic. Quite a change from all the deep space movies nowadays. Don't get me wrong i love Star Wars and other space movies like Gravity and so on but The Abyss brings alien life to the screen from a different scenery and perspective. Love the film.Read full review...

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A little heavy handed at times, but a great ride. Imagine if Michael Bay had any screenwriting talent.

Great snapshot of time, when movies had character development, foreshadowing, cohesive script, and were written with a genuine artistic vision from a single film maker.

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Style vs. Substance

What else can be said about James Cameron that hasent already been said? Well, how about this....he is a dual-edged sword. On the one hand, you have a master craftsman in all areas of filmmaking, screenwriting, and forward-thinking technical/visual excellence, vision, and ambition. It would be difficult to think of too many individuals who are in that same league.

But at the same time, you have a very cheesy (ya, I said it!) individual who populates his films and screenplays with the same unbelievable stereotypes over and over again. The dialog is beyond corny, the storyline is nothing more then variations on extremely common (and tired) themes we've seen since the early days of film. He makes movies for the masses, and the masses are hungry. Hungry for what? Cheese, of course. They like their fromage any way they can get it. Do his films suck because of this? Oh farts no. But are they unique stories with complex, interesting, or true-to-life characters that turn a passive bit of entertainment into an experience which enriches your life in some way other then having a semi-thrilling 2+ hours spent sitting on your bloated rear end? Some would say no.

But in his defense, I strongly doubt he'd call himself a master of unique and/or artistic storytelling. He makes entertaining action films which nearly always push the envelope of what is technically (and financially!) possible at that time.

The Abyss shows him at his best, and excelling in those areas where he is quite possibly second to none. To call this film ambitious would be a massive understatement. But dont take my word for it, watch the endless (and highly informative/entertaining) bonus features on the second disc. When this film was made, it might have been historically, the most difficult film ever produced.

But I must say, the usual Cameron cheesiness finds multiple opportunities to make you say "oh what, stop it"! I remember when I saw this in the theater, during one particular scene, a man somewhere in the theater screamed out "oh get the F%$K out of here!".

An entertaining film, nonetheless.

On a semi-unrelated rant, to those who maintain his sequel to Alien is better then the original directed by Ridley Scott...please shut your pie-holes and feed another slice of delicious chocolate cake into it. The original, made for only 8 million, was a ground-breaking film in terms of it's affect on that genre. Some would say it was the most imitated sci-fi/thriller/monster film ever made, and I would have to agree with that. Cameron's infinitely more expensive version certainly wasnt bad at all. Damn great, actually. But whom do we applaud? Most of what Cameron used in his sequel, were more expensive versions of the same themes and gimmicks that worked so well in the original.

...but with the addition of cheesy dialog. He merely expanded upon a superb film with great special effects (for the time).

There you have it.

In this reviewers opinion, James Cameron is absolutely inhuman in terms of a brutally masterful technician and director, but an average storyteller/artist/writer (at best). Makes one sort of wonder though, how shockingly different things would be if this mans talent matched his skills...in all areas! You'd end up with films so bowel-shakingly and disturbingly good, that you'd possibly get diarrhea from the sheer brilliance of it.

I hope such an individual is never born, I dont think the average movie-goer would be able to take it.

Cheers.Read full review...

Great movie

So glad to find The Abyss on eBay for a good price since I can’t get it streaming.

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you may not have been around in 1989, but you need to see this movie!

The movie is cutting edge for 1989 a little dated 30 plus years later, but story is good so is the cast, parts of the store seems not believable, but yes deep-sea exploration has advanced!

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Abyys

Perfect movie,old one no like what make now,DVD condition perfect,watch in my home theater with good sound, something best

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Ed Harris

What a great movie. Lots of action. Nothing really inappropriate. “Entertaining as all get out”

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