| Overall Grade: |
A+ |
|
| Story: |
A+ |
|
|
| Acting: |
A+ |
|
|
| Direction: |
A+ |
|
|
| Visuals: |
A+ |
|
|
The Abyss
by Yahoo! Movies User (movies profile)
Dec 12, 2007
10
of
11 people found this review helpful
It's amazing how James Cameron can make an action movie that also has a deep theme about human nature. "The Abyss" is one of my absolute favorite movies of all time. First of all, the acting in this movie is realistic and sincere, which is why Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio are two of my favorite actors. The story is set in the near future on a deep-sea oil-mining rig. The two main characters, Bud and Lindsay, are separated, pending a divorce. They and the crew of Deep Core become stuck in the middle of an international nuclear war crisis that could result in a massive worldwide nuclear war. The crew is asked to participate in a top-secret rescue operation of an American nuclear attack submarine that crashed not too far from the rig. A team of Navy SEALS are sent down to recover a warhead from the nuclear sub. While all this is going on, a hurricane descends on the Explorer, the command vessel at the surface of the ocean that feeds oxygen and power to rig. The crew of Deep Core become stranded, along with the SEALS, whose Lieutenant has gone paranoid and slightly psychotic from High Pressure Nervous Syndrome. In this midst of all this chaos, Lindsay discovers that there are aliens living down in the three-and-a-half-mile-deep trench they are precariously hanging off of who have the technology to control water. When the insane Lt. Coffee sends down the warhead attached to one of Deep Core's ROVs, Bud and Lindsay try to stop him. Then, a deep-sea submersible battle ensues, and Bud ends up having to tow Lindsay's frozen body back to the rig.
Upon his return, there is an amazingly-acted and very intense scene where the crew of Deep Core tries desperately to save Lindsay. In the end, it is Bud's determination and love for Lindsay that brings her back. Afterwards, Bud volunteers to be the one to suit-dive down the trench to save the aliens (known as NTIs) from the time-set warhead detonation. As Bud descends through the dark, cold abyss, my favorite scene of the entire film takes place. Lindsay is trying to talk to Bud through a microphone while he begins to shake and hallucinate as he descends further and further down the trench. He can only type back on a keypad on the arm of his suit. Lindsay reminds him of a time where they were in their old apartment when the power went out. Being extremely drunk, Lindsay said something like "that candle is me" like that everyone is alone in the dark in this life. But Bud lit up another candle and put it next to hers and said "No, see, that's me." When Bud reaches the warhead, he disarms it and finds that his liquid oxygen gauge reads only five minutes worth left. Knowing that he cannot make it back in time, he types one final goodbye to Lindsay, telling her "LOVE YOU WIFE." Lindsay replies, her voice almost gone, "I love you."
As Bud lay there, he notices something glowing out of the corner of his eye. It turns out to be one of the NTIs, coming to his rescue. It takes his hand and flies with Bud through the water into their giant underwater city. It sets Bud down and parts the water so that he can breathe. Here is where the theme of the movie comes in. The NTIs proceed to show Bud an image of a television broadcast of a world event that is happening on the surface. They have made giant tidal waves appear on the shoreline of every continent, and are about to kill everyone on the face of the planet. Bud asks why they are doing this, and they show Bud a series of film images from World War II, and various horrible scenes of war, poverty and suffering from human history. Bud lowers his head in shame of the nature of his human race. Just as the wave is about to spill over the world annihilating everyone in its path, it stops in midair, and slowly falls back into the ocean. Everyone leaps for joy, overwhelmed and changed by their near-death experience. Bud asks why they stopped, and they show Bud a familiar image of his final message to Deep Core: "KNEW THIS WAS ONE WAY TICKET BUT YOU KNOW I HAD TO COME... LOVE YOU WIFE." Bud realizes that it was his love for Lindsay that saved everyone. Perhaps the human race's greatest affinity is love.
Afterwards, everyone is still in shock over the whole thing, but the crew of Deep Core are still stuck with low oxygen and believe Bud to be dead. Then, they receive a new message from him telling them to hang on. The alien city rises up the wall of the trench and carries the rig to the surface of the ocean, right next to the Explorer and the numerous military ships that have gathered around it. Everyone is stunned at this awesome sight. The military officers rethink their roles as war officials. Then, Lindsay and the rest of the crew of Deep Core emerge from the rig and the deeply-in-love couple are reunited. In the final shot of the movie, Lindsay and Bud kiss as the setting sun descends behind them and reflects across the water.
I apologize that this is mostly a summary, but all that really needs to be said has already been said by James Cameron and the cast of "The Abyss." This is an amazing film with one of my favorite themes of human nature. Superbly acted and skillfully directed, "The Abyss" is one of my absolute favorite movies of all time. When asked, I always have to say it is number two of my three top favorites. |
My Public Profile 
