The Abyss

 

The Abyss 1989

• Director: James Cameron
• Seen by this director: Avatar, Titanic, Terminator 2 & 1, Aliens
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrontonio, Michael Biehn, Kimberly Scott
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Ed Harris – Cymbeline, Snowpiercer, Gone Baby Gone, Copying Beethoven, A History of Violence, The Human Stain, The Hours, A Beautiful Mind, Pollock, Glengarry Glen Ross, Swing Shift
• Mary Elizabeth Mastrontonio – The Perfect Storm, My Life So Far, Class Action, The January Man, Scarface
• Michael Biehn – Aliens, Terminator
• Kimberly Scott – The United States of Leland, I Am Sam, Third Rock from the Sun
• Why? A sort of classic nowadays
• Seen: 16 April 2021      

       Remind me never to step into a submarine.

       A nuclear sub with lots of nuclear missiles goes down and a near-by oil rig is coerced into a rescue operation. The crew includes the boss Virgil (Harris) and chief engineer Lindsay (Mastrontonio). They’re divorced and hostile, at least she is, and everyone hates her. But then again, everyone is a male chauvinist pig.

       Wouldn’t it be a huge surprise and completely unpredictable if Virgil and Lindsay are secretly still in love with each other?

       There are Soviet Russians out there feeling threatened, with good reason because the US is prepared to launch a missile because they believe it’s the Russians’ fault. There’s big hurricane too. And, well, well, there are even aliens. Ethereal pastel-coloured ET floaty things.

       It’s chaotic and confusing, slow and detailed, way too long (maybe we shouldn’t have chosen the director’s cut) and packed with clichés. But it’s also exciting and it has a sweet message.

  3 * of 5