Rating of
3/4
"The Abyss" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 07/02/12
A deep sea drilling rig is commandeered by the military for a search and rescue mission to find a downed nuclear submarine, but in the depths of the deep ocean they find that they are not alone. The Abyss is a rather frustrating film. For most of the story, James Cameron's pedigree as a skilled director of exciting blockbusters comes to the fore as he creates a nice otherworldly atmosphere, a collection of likeable characters, plenty of tension and some rip-roaring action scenes set below the waves. Unfortunately all of this excellent groundwork is wasted on a final act that can only be described as a huge anticlimax. He attempts to create a sense of wonderment in the style of Close Encounters which the film is clearly influenced by, but without drama or context the aliens just seem to be exactly what they are; some rather dated special effects. It's a real shame because the journey there is extremely entertaining which serves to throw into sharp relief just how disappointing the conclusion to the story really is. Certainly worth a watch for the exciting build up but the ending inevitably leaves me feeling a little cheated.
