ABYSS, THE

(August 1989, U.S.)

I am writing this post on James Cameron's 1994 re-released director's cut of the film...

Let me start this off with a general rule of film - so-called "special editions" and "director's cuts" are very rarely better than the original film released in theaters. There's a good reason that most extra footage ends up on the cutting room floor. However, there are occassional exceptions and THE ABYSS is one of them.

When the film was first released in 1989, I have to say I wasn't too interested because it seemed to appear merely as the third film in a string of underwater thrillers that had already hit movie theaters that year, DEEPSTAR SIX and LEVIATHAN being the first two. So I didn't go to see it. By the time I rented it on video, I was generally impressed and entertained by this adventure that at least one critic had called an "underwater E.T.". This was also the first time viewers were seeing CGI (computer generated image) on film, and damn if it didn't look incredible!

The ending of the film, however, left me with my jaw dropped, feeling like I'd just been royally screwed out of a viable ending! The motive and purpose behind the underwater aliens was only touched upon in the vaguest sense inside of less than two minutes of film time. Part of this was due to Cameron being forced to cut much of his material due to 20th Century Fox's opinion that the film was running too long. They should know, right? NOT!!!

Three years later, the director's cut fully explains the alien's purpose and threat when we see that the world is on the brink of disaster with the creation of enormous megatsunami-level waves that are positioned and stalled over every coast line to counter-attack humanity's self destruction. Eventually believing that humanity IS capable of caring and self-sacrifice, the waves retract and our planet is saved. The expanded ending ties the entire story together and answers questions that were left unanswered in 1989, and that's ultimately what can make or break a good movie.

Favorite line or dialogue:

Bud: "Look, I don't know what kinda deal you guys made with the company, but my people are not qualified for this. We're oil workers."
Navy Commander: "This is Lt. Coffey. He will transfer down to you with a seal team and supervise the operation."
Bud: "You can send whoever you like, but I'm the tool pusher on this rig and when it comes to the safety of these people, there's me and then there's God, understand? If things get dicey, I'm pullin' the plug."