The Abyss (1989)

Epic in length, especially in the Special Edition. It starts off slow but improves as it goes, eventually feeling like two separate movies—one about Coffey’s descent into madness and another about the aliens.

All the trademarks of a James Cameron film on display: blue-collar heroes, a strong female lead, dorky sidekicks, diverse representation in key roles, an aggressive and misguided military, industrial environments, blue lighting, runaway technology, a nuclear threat, and an obsession with the ocean. Cameron’s great with suspense.

Ed Harris exudes physical strength and coordination—was he a former wrestler or bodybuilder? Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio delivers a standout performance, with the revival scene being a real tearjerker. And turns out Michael Biehn plays a great villain, doesn’t he?

Stories about submarines losing contact with the surface were popular around this time, with Crimson Tide and The Hunt for Red October following shortly after. The film features some excellent effects, many of which still hold up today. The alien designs, music, and mystical elements evoke Cocoon. The social commentary with the alien TV sequence is a bit preachy, but it works within the film’s broader themes.

USC professor Drew Casper describes The Abyss as a blend of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws, Alien, Aliens, and 2001: A Space Odyssey—a fitting comparison given its mix of suspense, sci-fi wonder, and deep-sea adventure.