Cameron’s oft-forgotten sci-fi spectacle, finally in high-definition

The Film

★★★ | A lesser Cameron, but that’s still better than most.

The Abyss is an odd duck for me. It was released before I was born, and the DVD was surprisingly hard to find when it eventually came out. So, for almost two decades since its original release, I had no chance of seeing it anywhere. When I finally did, at a revival screening in the late-2000s, it was a case of too high expectations. Nothing could meet the image I had built in my head.

Now, some 15 years later, the 4K remaster changes all that. Finally, the film is not only readily available, it includes both the theatrical and extended editions in the best possible quality. Has it been worth the wait?

Well, yes and no. Yes, because it is still a classy, well-made sci-fi spectacle; but also no, because it still ranks amongst Cameron’s weakest efforts (topped only by the abysmal True Lies).

Set during the Cold War, The Abyss is the story of first contact, learning to love, and all the friends we made along the way. It finds a way to shoehorn in some marines, touches of Aliens, and one genuine ham and cheese performance from Ed Harris. A group of deep sea divers end up in the middle of a military operation, initially feared to be a Soviet attack on American ships, and discover they’re not as alone in the deep as they thought.

It’s all very preposterous, but in the high concept way that made Armageddon such a hoot. Everyone gives it their all, and Cameron has a way of crafting believable, lived-in worlds that you want to spend time in. The atmosphere in The Abyss is second to none, and certain sequences, including the first extended dive introducing the installation, are still intensely riveting.

But the film suffers from typical Cameron tropes. Mainly stilted dialogue, clunky exposition, and a heavy reliance on some uncomfortably misogynistic attitudes. The villain (played by Michael Biehn), isn’t as well-rounded as you’d hope, and by the time his inexplicable turn into madness happens, it’s so out of the left-field that the aliens feels perfectly normal by comparison.

Still, even in its three-hour format, The Abyss is mostly an entertaining romp. It’s not a perfect thriller like Aliens or Terminator 2, but it’s not a disaster either. I can see why Cameron hasn’t given it too much attention in later years, but it’s still a film deserving of a wider audience instead of the ignoble burying it received so far.

Technical Specs & Presentation

★★★★ | A classy and understated package

• Contents: 4K UHD disc/ 2 Blu-ray’s
• Subtitles: English SDH, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Norwegian.
• Release Date: March 12th, 2024

The three-disc set is practically the same as with Aliens. The discs, one 4K and two Blu-ray, are matte coated with color coded labels. The menus follow the same pattern as Aliens, as well. You can select which version of the film you want to see from the extras sub-menu, and there’s a healthy selection of subtitles available.

All the extras are bundled on the third Blu-ray. Unlike Aliens, there’s no feature commentary to be found.

In short, this is a very standard, but still handsomely produced 4K release. No more, no less.

Video

★★★★ | A controversial upgrade, but occasionally gorgeous

• Video Resolution: 2160p/HEVC H.265/Dolby Vision HDR/HDR10
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

The visual side of The Abyss is generally quite gorgeous. While the restoration process utilizes similar AI-tricks as Aliens, the overall result is by and far much better this time around. It probably helps that the only previous release of The Abyss is the lackluster DVD from 20 years ago.

Here, the colors are punchy, the highlights sublime, and everything looks like it was filmed yesterday. Film purists will argue that such a stark contrast to the original release negates the purpose of a restoration, and I couldn’t argue that. But this is what Cameron wants. It’s not exactly what was shown in theaters back in the 80s, but it is a gorgeous update.

Thankfully, the AI processing has most likely been toned down quite a bit, as faces don’t appear as waxy as they did with Aliens or True Lies. (The latter being particularly egregious with the DNR.) Instead, there’s a lot of detail in the close-ups, even if the occasional wrinkle disappears depending on the angle.

Background details are likewise stupendous, and the beautiful set design finally gets a chance to shine in this pristine transfer. There are details upon details in every frame, and it’s a joy to be able to enjoy every inch of the underground facility.

The effects, on the other hand, fare only partially well. Some look great, like the iconic scene where the alien mimics a human face. The mammoth tsunami at the end? Yeah, that still looks rough. As do some of the added scenes in the extended edition, which never got proper care and love in the first place.

Despite some hang-ups, The Abyss looks gorgeous, and this is probably the best version we’ll get of the film for quite some time. If you’re a fan of Cameron’s or the genre, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up.

Audio

★★★★★ | One of the most enthralling audio experiences you can find on 4K.

• Audio formats: English: Dolby Atmos, English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1, English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, French: DTS-HD HR 5.1, German: DTS-HD HR 5.1, Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Where The Abyss truly stands out, though, is the absolutely superlative Dolby Atmos sound mix. This rich, nuanced, and incredibly immersive experience is one of the best out there, beating out even the fantastic Aliens disc for reference material.

The highly active mix emphasizes the deep rumble of the underwater terrain, the roaring water, bubbles, and creaking of the installation at every turn. It’s especially remarkable at reproducing atmospheric effects when you least expect it. My poor pets were freaking out over the little clanks and rumbles, even at low volumes.

There’s a sequence where a character comes close to drowning in a sinking submersible, and it’s here the fantastic sound mix truly soars. Every little crack of the glass, every bit of water trickling in, and every gasp of breath is pristine. It makes even the slowest moment in the film intense and tangible.

Dialogue is similarly crisp and clear, and once again even on regular TV speakers (tested alongside a Dolby Atmos home theater setup), The Abyss sounds wonderful. Sure, the TV speakers can’t reproduce the deep bass and every bit of detail, but this is a comprehensive and well produced experience that does the essentials perfectly. On a technical level, it’s something that I could recommend to anyone wanting to test out their system, regardless of what gear they have.

Extras

★★★★ | A comprehensive package with very little new material.

The bonus features are all packed on the third Blu-ray disc, and while terrific for the most part, they’re not as comprehensive as seen on Aliens. Part of that might be because both Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio have refused to speak about the film in the years since its release, due to the horrific conditions Cameron created to make the feature.

The hour-long documentary about the process sheds light on some of this, though later features are a tad more comprehensive. Cameron doesn’t come off particularly well here, despite multiple people coming to his defense. From animal cruelty on set (which saw the film not get an official UK release) to treating the actors like cattle, there are number of issues anyone could take with how The Abyss was put together.

Nevertheless, the documentary is a revealing look at the filmmaking process. Similarly, the newer additions, both around a half hour in length, show just how distanced Cameron has become from the film. His reflections are mostly technical, yet nobody seems to really want to return to these memories willingly.

An additional 20-part document is readable on the disc, but I’ve never enjoyed reading long prints off my television. This is something that would have been far better as a physical booklet rather than a digital add-on.

For fans of the film and students, the documentaries included are still very worthwhile. I think Aliens is the better package in terms of content, but the difficult production makes for some interesting stories, even if they’re warning signs on how not to put a film together.

Check out the full extras listing here.1

Overall

★★★★ | An essential 4K release of a debated and complicated film.

The Abyss has its fans, and I can certainly see why it’s still celebrated as a sci-fi classic. It’s not for me, and certainly not amongst my favorites from Cameron. But there is a lot to love here. From the detailed underwater world to the peerless technical wonders that ILM has crafted, The Abyss is still a marvel in many ways.

The release itself is just as high quality as you’d come to expect from 4K packages. From the pristine video and audio to the terrific extras, it’s easily worth its price. If you haven’t seen The Abyss yet, this is the perfect way to, ahem, dive in.

Full extras listing:

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• Deep Dive: A Conversation with James Cameron (HD – 32:23)
• The Legacy of The Abyss (HD – 24:38)
• Under Pressure: Making The Abyss (SD – 59:37)
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