The Abyss

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The Abyss

PG-13,

1989,

2h 19m,

Sci-Fi/

Adventure

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75%

179 Reviews

Tomatometer

83%

100,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

75%

Tomatometer

179 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio are formerly married petroleum engineers who still have some issues to work out. They are drafted to assist a gung-ho Navy SEAL with a top-secret recovery operation: a nuclear sub has been ambushed and sunk, under mysterious circumstances, in some of the deepest waters on Earth.

Critics Consensus

The utterly gorgeous special effects frequently overshadow the fact that The Abyss is also a totally gripping, claustrophobic thriller, complete with an interesting crew of characters.

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Neil Norman

London Evening Standard

Dec 10, 2025

Where the first version seemed sluggish and overlong at two and a bit hours, the extended director's cut seems shorter, more exciting.

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Bruce Westbrook

Houston Chronicle

Dec 10, 2025

A

The Abyss is slick yet real, fanciful yet gripping, and truly an eye-popping adventure.

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Kevin Jackson

Independent (UK)

Dec 10, 2025

The first 40-odd minutes of Special Edition remain about as gripping as anyone could reasonably wish, but seeing Cameron compounding the errors of his original Abyss... is like watching a captain willfully scuppering his own ship.

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Jack E. Wilkinson

United Press International

Jun 8, 2026

The film is long but compelling and fast-paced and the acting, under difficult conditions, is good. However, it is the spectacular cinematography and Oscar-winning visual effects that make it special.

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Eddie Harrison

film-authority.com

Mar 19, 2026

5/5

A plea for tolerance and mutual understanding, just what we need right now.

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David Crumpler

Florida Times-Union

Feb 3, 2026

3/5

The Abyss is all spectacle, no heart.

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Rey P

Mar 18, 2019

James Cameron is known for making great work. The Abyss is one of his most overlooked, and its easy to see why. The effects are amazing, and the cast involved all give performances with great commitment. The run time though is too long and not really exciting, and by the end,it becomes just a typical tour de force with strange unknown interactions. An alright film overall that is worth viewing, but doesn't compare or stand out amongst his other work.

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Rey P

Mar 17, 2019

One of James Cameron's most underrated entries. The abyss has a classic 80's cast, great set pieces and a compelling sense of discovery/mystery.

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Draco P

Mar 9, 2019

Very good mystery thriller.

Draco G

Mar 4, 2019

James Cameron once more succeeds in ruining amazing cinematography and atmosphere with a horrible, tell-don't-show script and childish plot that drags on too long.

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Poe S

Jan 6, 2019

Cameron does an excellent job of getting the viewer invested in the film. A+ on creating tension and suspense throughout the film. Along the way you don't even realize it's ultimately a film about nothing until the last 20 minutes. Hats off to Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio for playing convincing characters. I genuinely felt invested in their on-screen relationship. However, the relationship is also what the film revolves around and when the ending comes I feel let down. In the end, the film is too sentimental. Not a "bad" movie at all, but after watching it I felt like I indulged in a guilty pleasure rather than committed my time to watching something meaningful.

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Oct 24, 2018

??it's a masterpiece

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James Cameron

Director

Ed Harris

Virgil "Bud" Brigman

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio

Lindsey Brigman

Michael Biehn

Lt. Hiram Coffey

Leo Burmester

Catfish DeVries

Todd Graff

Alan "Hippy" Carnes

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The Abyss: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio are formerly married petroleum engineers who still have some issues to work out. They are drafted to assist a gung-ho Navy SEAL with a top-secret recovery operation: a nuclear sub has been ambushed and sunk, under mysterious circumstances, in some of the deepest waters on Earth.

Director: James Cameron
Producer: Gale Anne Hurd
Screenwriter: James Cameron
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Pacific Western, Lightstorm Entertainment
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Sci-Fi, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 9, 1989, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $54.3M
Runtime: 2h 19m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Surround, Dolby A, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio: 70mm, Scope (2.35:1)

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