I Watch Films: The Abyss
James Cameron threw everything at this film and it shows. There’s a huge underwater epic, showing the expanse of the depths and using that to broaden the minds of the characters (and audience). There’s a taut, claustrophobic paranoid thriller that juxtaposes madness with the cold war. And there’s a half decent rip-off of 2001 and other meditative alien contact stories.
All jammed into a slow film mostly set on a cramped underwater rig, with a gang of wacky characters with various personal issues (including (sigh) an estranged husband and wife who fell out over the underwater exploration business). It’s not a great film, though it has one or two great ideas. It’s not a clever film, though again, it’s clever in places. It’s sometimes good and sometimes less good. Several scenes, especially involving water as a character (benign or malign) do sterling work.
It’s cool and a bit long and could really have done with trimming some time and a few ideas to make it cohere better.
Obviously Cameron added in some extra scenes for his director’s cut.
Watch This: For a truly outstanding underwater alien contact film that is only a little too long, really (unless you get the director’s cut which is half an hour longer)
Don’t Watch This: If a long time underwater is not for you
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