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IMDbPro

The Abyss

  • 19891989
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 20m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
181K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,447
153
The Abyss (1989)
Theatrical Trailer from 20th Century Fox
Play trailer2:47
2 Videos
99+ Photos
AdventureDramaMystery
A civilian diving team is enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and faces danger while encountering an alien aquatic species.A civilian diving team is enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and faces danger while encountering an alien aquatic species.A civilian diving team is enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and faces danger while encountering an alien aquatic species.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
181K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,447
153
    • James Cameron
    • James Cameron
  • Stars
    • Ed Harris
    • Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
    • Michael Biehn
    • James Cameron
    • James Cameron
  • Stars
    • Ed Harris
    • Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
    • Michael Biehn
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 497User reviews
    • 92Critic reviews
    • 62Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar

    Videos2

    The Abyss
    Trailer 2:47
    Watch The Abyss
    'The Abyss' | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:21
    Watch 'The Abyss' | Anniversary Mashup

    Photos247

    Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in The Abyss (1989)
    Ed Harris in The Abyss (1989)
    Michael Biehn in The Abyss (1989)
    Ed Harris and Joe Farago in The Abyss (1989)
    The Abyss (1989)
    Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in The Abyss (1989)
    The Abyss (1989)
    The Abyss (1989)
    The Abyss (1989)
    The Abyss (1989)
    The Abyss (1989)
    Jimmie Ray Weeks in The Abyss (1989)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ed Harris
    Ed Harris
    • Bud Brigman
    Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
    Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
    • Lindsey Brigman
    Michael Biehn
    Michael Biehn
    • Lt. Coffey
    Leo Burmester
    Leo Burmester
    • Catfish De Vries
    Todd Graff
    Todd Graff
    • Alan 'Hippy' Carnes
    John Bedford Lloyd
    John Bedford Lloyd
    • Jammer Willis
    J.C. Quinn
    J.C. Quinn
    • 'Sonny' Dawson
    Kimberly Scott
    Kimberly Scott
    • Lisa 'One Night' Standing
    Captain Kidd Brewer Jr.
    Captain Kidd Brewer Jr.
    • Lew Finler
    • (as Capt. Kidd Brewer Jr.)
    George Robert Klek
    • Wilhite
    Christopher Murphy
    Christopher Murphy
    • Schoenick
    Adam Nelson
    Adam Nelson
    • Ensign Monk
    Dick Warlock
    Dick Warlock
    • Dwight Perry
    • (as Richard Warlock)
    Jimmie Ray Weeks
    Jimmie Ray Weeks
    • Leland McBride
    J. Kenneth Campbell
    J. Kenneth Campbell
    • DeMarco
    Ken Jenkins
    Ken Jenkins
    • Gerard Kirkhill
    Chris Elliott
    Chris Elliott
    • Bendix
    Peter Ratray
    • Captain
      • James Cameron
      • James Cameron
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Real oxygenated fluorocarbon fluid was used in the rat fluid breathing scene. Dr. Johannes Kylstra and Dr. Peter Bennett of Duke University pioneered this technique and consulted on the film, giving detailed instructions on how to prepare the fluid. The only reason for cutting to the actors' faces was to avoid showing the rats defecating from momentary panic as they began breathing the fluid.
    • Goofs
      While Lindsay's drowning scene in the submersible was obviously played for dramatic effect, if they were really concerned about reviving her it would have made much more sense for her to take a deep breath and for Bud to then immediately began towing her back to the rig. She would have then drowned on the way there and there would have been less time between her drowning and the start of the resuscitation attempt, thus increasing the chance that she would be successfully revived.
    • Quotes

      Lindsey Brigman: We all see what we want to see. Coffey looks and he sees Russians. He sees hate and fear. You have to look with better eyes than that.

    • Crazy credits
      In the cast list, Super Seal Rover is credited as Big Geek and Mini Rover Mk II is credited as Little Geek. These are the actual models used for the unmanned submarines.
    • Alternate versions
      The end credits were famously shortened to run under 5 minutes in 1989 in order to hit a target runtime and maximize daily showings; doing so also made the crawl almost illegibly tiny and fast. The credits on the extended edition were almost 10 minutes, with a bigger and slower crawl, and extended/alternate music. Several home video releases of the theatrical edition on laserdisc and DVD actually use the newer credits, so they are not entirely faithful! One VHS tape (Fox Video Selections 1561), at least, uses the original short credits; though the tape is formatted for 4:3, the credits merely gain picture information above and below the intended window (which, for some reason, is very high up in the frame after the first few names). However the new HD master, which has popped up on a few HDTV broadcasts (like Cinemax) go back to the original shortened credits, plus is in the original theatrical aspect ratio, making it the most faithful version available.
    • Connections
      Edited into No Feat But What We Make: 'Terminator 2' and the Rise of Digital Effects (2003)
    • Soundtracks
      Willing
      Written by Lowell George

      Performed by Linda Ronstadt

      Courtesy of CEMA Special Markets and Capitol Records, Inc.

    User reviews497

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Breathtakingly beautiful
    When we think about aliens in the movies, I guess everybody immediately thinks about the series of "Alien" - movies, but there are some other fine examples and "The Abyss" may well be the best alternative I can come up with. Even though this was made by James Cameron, the same director who gave us "Aliens", both movies are very hard to compare.

    When an American nuclear submarine is attacked during the cold war and crashes, the navy is convinced that it was the work of the Russians. They want to salvage the wreckage as soon as possible, because a storm is coming, but they aren't able to send a diving crew of their own that quickly. That's why they contact a group of workers of a nearby underwater oil rig, who reluctantly accept the job. They are joined by some navy SEALS who will help them to locate and investigate the cause of the crash. But they do not only find the crashed sub, they also find out that there is more down there in the deep than what they had ever expected to see.

    What I liked so much about this movie was that this time the aliens didn't feel threatening at all. It was something completely different from what we were used to see and it worked perfectly. This was a beautiful, well-crafted movie with some very fine acting and with some excellent special effects. Even though this movie was created in 1989, the computer animations were still marvelous and breathtaking. In fact, this entire movie is breathtaking. It is very touching and powerful at the same time and I'm sure that many people will have a lot of difficulties not to show any emotions while watching it. I give this movie an 8/10. It sure doesn't deserve any less.
    helpful•156
    32
    • philip_vanderveken
    • Apr 18, 2005

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    FAQ16

    • When will there be a Blu-ray release?
    • What is "The Abyss" about?
    • Is "The Abyss" based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 9, 1989 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Cherokee Nuclear Power Plant, Gaffney, South Carolina, USA
    • Production companies
      • Twentieth Century Fox
      • Pacific Western
      • Lightstorm Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 2 hours 20 minutes
      • Color

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