Sci-fi films that have a strong human element tend to endear themselves more. It is not as much about the technology as it is about what the characters go through in the context. James Cameron’s ‘Abyss’ is a sci-fi success because it puts the spotlight on a group of people at the bottom of the ocean and not the extra terrestrial life forms that they encounter.
The story revolves around a group of underwater oil workers who are asked to help the US Navy survey damage to a nuclear submarine that suffered an accidental collision with an unknown entity. As the oil rig team and the SEAL team try to locate the sub and secure the nukes, they come in contact with an unusual but friendly life form deep beneath the ocean. The SEAL team commander, under paranoia because of the high pressure underwater decides to use the nukes to kill the life form, while the contact with the surface is broken off due to a cyclonic storm. What does the oil rig team do under the circumstances is what the plot tries to uncover.
Cameron’s screenplay is gripping. He creates a claustrophobic environment deep underwater and brings together personalities who do not get along, like the leader of the oil rig and his estranged wife who comes down with the SEAL team because she designed the rig. His handling of the underwater sequences backed by a good background score makes it a fascinating watch even today, 21 years after the film was first made. The weak link however, is the message that the extra terrestrial life forms want to convey. You as a viewer are sure that they are friendly, but the message they give out is not convincing and they end up not looking like a partner who comes in peace or an enemy who wants to conquer.
Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as the estranged couple deliver powerful performances that showcase bravery against the odds. Michael Biehn as the paranoid SEAL commander is convincingly under duress and brings an edgy feel to the proceedings. The rest of the crew plays predictable roles.
Watch ‘The Abyss’ for its underwater thrills, amazing visual appeal and exploration of the human psyche under duress.
