It's got Michael Biehn in it! (The Abyss (DVD))

Name: amonet

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Product:	The Abyss (DVD)
Date:	31/10/00 (17 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: unusual subject matter, fine acting, excellent effects

Disadvantages: daft ending

Basic story: some people on an undersea mining operation have trouble when a storm cuts them off from their mother ship thing above on the sea. A large crane is blown off the ship above and hurtles down to them, wrecking part of their habitat, as it's called, killing a couple of people and leaving the rest of them alone for the duration of the storm. Of course they have to go out into the deep, dark, freezing sea on a few expeditions but don't expect too much bother until the storm breaks.

Aha! A squad of military types are down there with them, the leader of which, the lovely Michael Biehn, is already a bit loopy and stressed. He gets worse due to the lack of space, fear high pressure secret mission and claustrophobic atmosphere.

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio runs into a funny little sea creature but isn't believed by her pals until the creature takes it upon itself to venture into the humans habitat and make contact. The military blokes think it's Russian, a spy, enemy weapons etcetera and there is a general race to blow up the creature/to stop the creature being blown up by nuclear weapons (and the crew aren't too happy that there is a nuclear weapon down there with them in the first place).

And that's all I'm saying about the story - I will spoil it otherwise.

The effects are spectacular. The under sea environment is brought to life and is imposing, atmospheric, claustrophobic, and realistic. While the creatures are also supremely created and very clever, I was disappointed in the ending - involving them of course. The storyline WAS realistic, not too fantastical considering that we don't really know that much about the deepest sea enviromments on our planet. The ending however was just plain daft and irritating.

The acting is what you'd expect from a group of the finest actors around and I felt their claustrophobia. Even the rat was good.

I've now heard about the new ve
rsion of the film that's been released and can't wait to see it. James Cameron is getting into the habit of saving bits of his films up for later release, isn't he?? I don't expect anything groundbreaking as the Director's Cut of "Aliens" didn't add much to the story, but these things are always fun to watch.

Summary: