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From: gvg@hpcvlx.HP.COM (Greg Goebel)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews
Subject: REVIEW: THE ABYSS
Summary: r.a.m.r. #00604
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Date: 18 Aug 89 01:57:08 GMT
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			        THE ABYSS
		       A film review by Greg Goebel
			Copyright 1989 Greg Goebel

     Given the skills of the Cameron-Hurd team (which has already brought us
the memorable TERMINATOR and ALIENS), it would be a shame to say that they let
us down with their latest film, THE ABYSS -- so it is pleasant to say that THE
ABYSS is one of the more worthwhile films of the summer.

     A nuclear submarine has a disastrous accident in the waters of the
Atlantic; the Navy sends a SEAL team to commandeer an undersea oil rig in the
vicinity to perform, if possible, a rescue operation.  Of course, nothing is
goes right -- if it did, would there be much of a story?  -- and everyone
involved finds themselves in an ever-widening predicament that tests their
ability to survive.

     I am told $45 million was spent on producing this picture.  Large budgets
don't always translate into impressive productions -- sometimes they're the
result of mismanagement -- but in this case, the special effects are so
spectacular that one wonders how they managed to do it for that small a sum!

     This is fortunate, because if THE ABYSS had to rest on the virtues of its
story line, it would most likely sink into a financial abyss even deeper than
the watery canyon which threatens the heroes of this underwater epic.  While it
is hard to be unkind to a team which has done their level best (and then some!)
to give the customers their money's worth -- not only is the production
superlative, but all the actors (Ed Harris in particular) put in good
performances -- the script is, alas, almost as mechanical as the special
effects, resembling nothing so much as the kind of story Irwin Allen might tell
on a good day; it punches all the right buttons, sometimes very effectively,
but never with enough subtlety to make the viewer fail to realize that his or
her buttons are, indeed, being punched.

     But I will not be cynical; while this film does fail to reach the margins
of greatness, it is very definitely on the high side of good; and I suspect
there are some less jaded and finicky than myself who will be absolutely blown
away by it.  As for myself?  I count myself satisfied.  My compliments to the
chef.