 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Abyss
- Review Date: April 24, 2009
- PG-13
- Genre: Science Fiction
- 1989
Common Sense Media says
Undersea UFO adventure is breathtaking but intense.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that there's a fair amount of salty language in this ocean thriller. The camera exposes bare breasts in a medical-emergency context. Violent acts include death by drowning, hand-to-hand combat, and a threat of nuclear annihilation. Young viewers with fears of the water and/or claustrophobia might be uncomfortable with vivid portrayals of drowning and submersible environments. A scene -- not faked -- in which a domesticated rat is immersed in breathable liquid is a real don't-try-this-with-the-family-pet-at-home moment. The US military doesn't come off looking particularly good.
What's the story?
An American nuclear submarine bristling with atomic warheads encounters the deep-sea equivalent of a UFO and loses all power and contact with the outside world. As Cold-War tensions with the Soviet Union escalate, the US Navy conscripts the civilian oil-rig workers of an experimental underwater drilling platform to mount a deep-sea "rescue" expedition (it turns out to be more ominous than that) to the unresponsive sub, while a hurricane whips up the ocean surface. Things get worse; the platform is itself battered and crippled in an accident, and the commanding SEAL officer (Michael Biehn) becomes mentally unstable under the pressure -- even more so when the luminous, enigmatic, inquisitive UFO aliens return to check out the stressed humans up close.
Is it any good?
This huge-scale underwater epic was so highly touted in its production phase that rival Hollywood studios had time to get lookalike (and inferior) marine sci-fi flicks (Deep Star Six and Leviathan, if you had to ask) already in theaters by the time perfectionist director James Cameron released THE ABYSS. Even then, Cameron was less than satisfied, and in DVD and VHS you can find both the original Abyss and a "special edition" that attempted to better blend the alien-first-contact story into the plot. Even so, it mixes like the proverbial oil and water. Cameron's realization of the characters' high-tech, deep-sea survival ordeal is so fascinating (and excruciatingly suspenseful) in its own right that the sci-fi element seems intrusive -- a Close Encounter of the Rather Unnecessary Kind, even with all the orchestral crescendos and awesome visuals.
Younger viewers who can even tolerate the likes of Jar Jar Binks will be more accepting of the aliens. James Cameron later dispensed with the UFO stuff to offer a vivid documentary nature feature Aliens of the Deep.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about ocean exploration and living underwater, and how much of the astounding aquatic technology shown here is the real deal, shot by James Cameron in one of the largest underwater tank-sets ever built -- not sci-fi CGI. Dwelling for long periods beneath the surface of the sea poses many of the same challenges as setting up space colonies. Ask kids what they would prefer -- manning a space station or a submarine platform? How would they have dealt with the unstable Navy SEALS here in a more constructive manner?
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Kid, 11 years old
April 2, 2010
AGE
The Abyss
Rated PG-13 For Language And Some Scenes Of Action
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AGE
good movie
not mentioned by common sense
there is a scene were a man cuts himsself due to stress
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AGE
I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!! Kind of like Titanic but with aliens!! Great movie. Few swears but nothing terrible. Older kids and tween movie. Not very violent...
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AGE
I am not a big 'alien' movie fan. They tend to be scary and hey, i'm not a big fan of scary movies either haha but this movie seems to hold some promise and I'm a fan of James Cameron. It's definitely a potential renter!
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AGE
Parents-- see it first and you decide.
I love this movie! It is so cool and I don't really know why I just love it! I love the scene where bud and that girl are stuck in the little submarine and it's flooding-- the best love scene! It's so sad but epic, too! The only thing is for parents to warn their children when a scary part is coming. There is a scene with a guy cutting himself, which really freaks me out but I love this movie! You should see it! The ending also reminds me of the new Avatar movie also by James Cameron.
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AGE
Heartpoundingly intense sci-fi thriller may be too much for tween's
James Cameron's often overlooked sci-fi thriller The Abyss was also easily one of the most expensive movies of it's time as well, clocking in at about $70 million in august 1989. Sure, that budget has been hugely surpassed in recent years, but back than, it was considered incredibly expensive, and not worth making, which is a shame, consiering it also didn't do all that well at the box office that summer, with about $54 million coming in. Also, as great and rriveting as it is, it is still a very, very intense movie, as most of James Cameron's movie are, which may actually be a bit to much even for a PG-13 rating, with plenty of physical violence and fistfights during the movies second half. Also, there is brief but graphic nudity, featuring the main heroines bare breasts during a non-sexual, but heart wrenching scene. Finally, there is very frequent profanity, with 1 use of the F-word and many other milder terms. In closing,I would like to say that this movie is a thrill-ride-and a half, but it is more suitable for teens.
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Kid, 11 years old
April 29, 2012
AGE
What?
This is a really werid movie and i'm actully not surprissed this flopped at the box office.The aliens are really werid and the plot barley makes an inkling of sense.medicore acting, dull script,definetly james cameron's worst
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| Studio: | Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment |
| Director: | James Cameron |
| Cast: | Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Run time: | 140 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | August 6, 1989 |
| DVD release date: | February 11, 2003 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | language and some scenes of action. |
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