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Features: DVD, Sensormatic
A civilian oil rig crew is recruited to conduct a search and rescue effort when a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks. One diver (Ed Harris) soon finds himself on a spectacular odyssey 25,000 feet below the ocean's surface where he confronts a mysterious force that has the power to change the world or destroy it.
"Heart stopping...white knuckle...deep sea thrills." David Ansen, NewsWeek
"Spectacular underwater saga...a fascinating, one-of-a-kind experience." Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide
"Both Mastrantonio and Harris are terrific, never missing a beat, always convincing..." Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
"...a killer chase scene, two fine leads, and one Oscar-worthy "creature'' special effect..." Mike Clark, USA Today
"Stupendously exciting and emotionally engulfing..." Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Editor's Note
After a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks in a remote part of the ocean floor, a team of divers on a prototype underwater oil rig are pressed into service by the U.S. Navy in a rescue attempt. When a hurricane cuts off contact between the surface and the underwater depths, the crew begin to see evidence of a strange, possibly alien intelligence at work. While chief Bud Brigman (Ed Harris) bickers with his ex-wife and boss (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), the Navy commander begins to grow increasingly paranoid about the mysterious alien life and threatens to use a recovered nuclear weapon to destroy everything. James Cameron's undersea epic is a tale of sacrifice and hope in an amazing alien landscape that covers 2/3 of the Earth's surface. Featuring landmark visual effects but plagued by production difficulties, the cast and crew were stretched to the breaking point and THE ABYSS became one of the most expensive films ever made in its time, but the final result is a remarkable blend of action and human drama. Scenes cut from the theatrical version, including a number of special effects sequences involving huge tidal waves threatening the cities of the world, are restored in the Special Edition versions.
| Features | Special Edition With 28 Minutes Of Additional Footage & Original Theatrical Version | | 3 DVD-ROM Games | | 60-Minute Documentary: Under Pressure - Making The Abyss | | Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, Dolby Digital Stereo | | Collector's Edition 12-Page Booklet | | Extensive Storyboards, Original Concept Art & More! | | Interactive Menus | | James Cameron's Complete Screenplay | | Multi-Angles Of Pseuopod Sequence | | Scene Selection | | Subtitles: English, Spanish | | Text Only Commentary Option For Both Versions | | THX Certified |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Foxvideo |
| Release Date: 8/6/2009 |
| Running Time: 140 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1989 | | Catalog ID: 2244218 | | UPC: 00024543442165 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | Widescreen 2.35:1 |
| Cast & Crew
| Awards |
Winner (1990) | | | Oscar, John Bruno, et. al., Best Effects, Visual Effects | |
Nominee (1990) | | | Oscar, Leslie Dilley, Anne Kuljian, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration | | | Oscar, Mikael Salomon, Best Cinematography | | | Oscar, Don J. Bassman, et. al., Best Sound |
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| | Professional Reviews | Rolling Stone
"...[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..." 08/24/1989 p.37Entertainment Weekly
"...Cameron again delves in....An epic story line...and much more..." -- Rating: B 01/13/1995 pp.66-8 Variety
"...A technical marvel with sustained tension, exciting action footage and an emotional wallop in its nearly platonic love story..." 03/01/1993 Los Angeles Times
"...THE ABYSS is at heart a sweet movie....The undersea effects are glowingly beautiful..." 08/09/1989 p.C1 Total Film
"...A great achievement....The cast is solid and the pioneering CG effects still look incredible..." 05/01/2000 p.104 Variety 8 of 10
A firstrate underwater suspenser with an otherworldly twist, The Abyss suffers from a payoff unworthy of its buildup. Same sensibilities that enable writer-director James Cameron to deliver riveting, supercharged action segments get soggy when the 'aliens' turn out to be friendly...Action is launched when a navy nuclear sub suffers a mysterious power failure and crashes into a rock wall. Bud Brigman (Ed Harris) and his gamy crew of undersea oil-rig workers are hired to dive for survivors...The Abyss has plenty of elements in its favor, not least the performances by Harris as the compassionate crewleader and Mastrantonio as his steel-willed counterpart. Not even the $50 million-plus pic's elaborate technical achievements can overshadow these two.
Reel.com 10 of 10
The equivalent of an encyclopedia devoted entirely to the making of one spectacular, technologically innovative, and commercially unsuccessful film, The Abyss Special Edition might just be the new standard by which all DVDs are measured. This two-disc set includes both the theatrical release version and writer/director James Cameron's Special Edition, which adds 28 minutes that redefine the film in both scope and structure...As The Abyss plumbed new depths of technical filmmaking, so too does the special edition DVD release of the film strike new ground for its medium...its respect for the details that go into the making of a monumental film result in this set being a wet dream-come-true for cinephiles, technogeeks, and DVD freaks alike. While one can certainly critique the movie's narrative overindulgence, the production itself remains an awe-inspiring and unforgettable cinematic experience. - Jeffrey Wachs
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| Customer Reviews | ![]() | | Cinematography |  5 | | Plot | 5 | | Acting | 5 | | Overall Satisfaction | 5 |
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5 of 5 "The Abyss" Movie Review from MoviePulse Saturday, September 29, 2007
Mike Massie, www.MoviePulse.net from Tempe, AZ
James Cameron’s early masterpiece “The Abyss” brings to the screen some of the most suspenseful scenes ever filmed, an original and inspiring science-fiction story, and breathtaking dramatic acting that puts this film ranking at the top of the genre with other classics like Blade Runner and Aliens.
A small group of underwater oil rig workers commanded by Bud Brigman (Ed Harris) are stationed deep below the watery surface. Due to their extreme depth, they are most closely positioned to a recently downed German submarine which requires a quick search and rescue examination. A team of Navy SEALs are sent down for further investigation and nuclear missile retrieval from the sub. As tensions grow between the two crews, Bud realizes he is caught between the mysterious plans of Lieutenant Coffey (Michael Biehn) and possible deep-sea alien creatures.
Films like this are far and few between, but director James Cameron, evidenced by his early successes with The Terminator and Aliens, has mastered the art of suspense and entertainment. Though not quite in the same vein as Hitchc*ck, Cameron’s films employ an extreme level of intensity, often marked with plenty of action and violence. Several moments in the film stand out as perhaps the finest suspense sequences ever filmed. When Lt. Coffey attacks the shuttle carrying Bud and Lindsey (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), they are stranded several hundred feet away from the main ship and left with only one oxygen suit. As they debate who will have to drown so that the other can swim back to the ship for help, freezing water pours into the shuttle from every wall. Another scene forces Bud to descend the abyss to disarm an active nuclear weapon which threatens him with both the lack of oxygen to make the round trip as well as insanity from incredibly high levels of water pressure. Asphyxiation is a major conflict throughout the movie and constantly present due to the frightening setting. Despite this notably horrible method of death, sacrifices are constantly being debated and often volunteered by the lead characters. This unfaltering decision to do the right thing and to preserve the lives of others is a powerful and emotional attribute consistent in many of Cameron’s heroes.
Overall an excellent science-fiction film with constant nerve-wracking suspense, beautiful character and relationship development, courageous heroes, and alien phenomena, The Abyss is one of Cameron’s most spectacular films and is a must-see for fans of the genre.
- Read the full review at www.MoviePulse.net Was this review helpful?  
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