The Abyss

Name: The Abyss
Genre: Adventure, Thriller, Science Fiction
Released: 1989-08-09
Cast: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester, Todd Graff

1989 | 140 min | Adventure, Thriller, Science Fiction

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

People are still talking about it, it earned strong reviews (89% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences rate it highly (7.4 out of 10). A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing, sci-fi fans and adventure fans.
The mood: Tense.
The pace: Fast-moving, at 2 hr 20 min.
What might put you off: Nothing much: an easy pick for most people.

A civilian oil rig crew is recruited to conduct a search and rescue effort when a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks. One diver soon finds himself on a spectacular odyssey 25,000 feet below the ocean's surface where he confronts a mysterious force that has the power to change the world or destroy it.

How it earned its rating

CriticsStrong
89% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesStrong
7.4 out of 10
AwardsStrong
Won 1 Oscar: Best Visual Effects. Also nominated for 3 more Oscars.
Box office & staying powerSolid
$90 million worldwide on a $43 million budget; spent 7 weeks in Netflix's global Top 10; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactVery strong
About 634K people sought it out in the past year