The Abyss Details

For some, this was James Cameron's Waterworld, a bloated, sentimental epic from the king of hi-tech thrillers. Some of the criticism was deserved, but it remains a fascinating folly, a spectacular and often thrilling voyage to the bottom of the sea. Ed Harris stars as the leader of an underwater team working for an oil company that is pressed into service to rescue the crew of a crippled submarine. But they soon begin to wonder if they are the only life forms in the vicinity. Harris is great in a rare leading-man role and there is first-rate support from Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, as his estranged partner, and The Terminator's Michael Biehn, as the unstable marine commander. Cameron excels in cranking up the tension within the cramped quarters and the effects are awe-inspiring and deservedly won an Oscar. It's only marred by being overlong and by its sentimental attachment to aliens.

"...[A] stupendously exciting and emotionally engulfing film....With probing intelligence and passionate feeling, Cameron has raised the adventure film very close to the level of art..."