Parents Guide for
The Abyss (1989) More at IMDbPro »

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence/action, some scary images, language and brief nudity.

This guide is based on both the Original Cut (OC) and the Special Edition Directors Cut (DC).

Sex & Nudity: (OC & DC) 3/10

During a scene showing CPR and shock paddles, one of the women has her shirt ripped off revealing a glimpse of her bare breasts. The camera does not linger on her breasts, and the entire time, she is surrounded by other people, so someone not paying very close attention is likely to miss it.

There are hazy pictures of women with revealing clothing hung around the submarine. We see them a few times.

Violence & Gore: (OC) 6/10 (DC) 7/10

In the beginning a submarine crashes and everyone drowns, although this is not explicitly shown.

Pressure causes a small underwater vehicle to crack open and the man inside drowns.

The film depicts a brutal, though not bloody, fight between three men. One has a gun and knife, but ultimately does no damage with either. At one point he tries to strangle the other man, but fails. There is some hand-to-hand combat before he escapes.

Divers go into a ship filled with several dead bodies floating around in the water. We see a crab crawl out of one of their mouths.

DC: the NTI's show Bud two different videos; one of nuclear weapons exploding, and the second of short news clips that depict real and disturbing violent scenes.

Lindsey intentionally drowns herself to save Bud in the hope she will be resuscitated in time. The team perform CPR and use shock panels. She survives.

A man slices his arm with a large knife.

A hurricane causes destruction to a submarine. Several men are trapped inside a room and drown.

DC: a man is trapped under a metal door during the hurricane, but he survives.

A man freaks out while under water and goes into a coma.

Two mini-subs have a battle, crashing into each other.

A live rat is held under oxygenated water and it struggles but is unharmed.

Profanity: (OC & DC) 6/10

30-40 uses of "s**t" and one use of "f**k." Frequent uses of "b**ch," "d**n," "h**l," "a**," etc.

Many abuses of the names "Jesus," "Christ," and "God."

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: (OC & DC) 0/10

None

Frightening/Intense Scenes: (OC) 7/10 (DC) 8/10

This film features many scenes involving the claustrophobic conditions involved in undersea diving and submarines. In the opening, we watch as a submarine filled with navy men gets flooded and sinks. In one of the film's most intense scenes, a woman decides to let herself "die" of drowning hoping that she will later be revived. In another scene a man gets killed when his submarine implodes due to water pressure. The NTI are quite frightening at times. The giant tidal waves may be scary to some people. Pretty much the entire film is intense and claustrophobic.

0-5: Suitable for everyone (Care Bears). 5-10: Take some caution with young children. (The Incredibles). 10-20: Suitable for children 8 years and over (Gremlins). 20-25: Recommended for mature audiences (THIS). 25-30: Suitable for children over 13 (The Dark Knight). 30-40: Recommended for people 17 years and over (Saving Private Ryan). 40-50: Absolutely Adults Only (Kill Bill Vol 1).

TOTAL EXPLICIT CONTENT: (OC) 22/50 (DC) 24/50

Recommended For Mature Audiences.