Beings from other worlds have been fodder for so much cinematic fare ever since the advent of the motion picture. From the earliest days of cinema, humans’ attention has constantly been on the stars as “the final frontier.” Yet for the past half century or so, that attention has turned just as much to Earth’s oceans as possible homes for beings from other worlds. So much so that in 1989, 20th Century Studios (nee 20th Century Fox) released what is still to this day one of only a handful of movies strictly centered on so-called unidentified submerged objects (USOs) in the form of The Abyss (The Sphere is about the only other movie that can really be argued to have any connection with the long theorized objects and their otherworldly occupants). The Abyss has seen a handful of re-issues since its theatrical debut on DVD and even Blu-ray, and on March 12, the movie will finally see its first ever 4K release. For those who have yet to have seen this classic helmed by famed director James Cameron, the forthcoming 4K re-issue proves to be a fully enjoyable offering. To the positive is the movie’s noted story, which will be discussed shortly. The special effects presented throughout the movie are of their own applause and will be discussed later. They definitely add so much to the viewing experience, especially in comparison to those of so many of the major blockbusters out there today. The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its forthcoming re-issue rounds out the most important of the movie’s items. That is because of the background that the content in question adds to the movie’s presentation. When the bonus content is considered along with the movie’s story and its special effects (and even the cast’s own work), the whole makes the forthcoming 4K re-issue of The Abyss the first great addition to 2024’s top movie and television re-issues.
20th Century Studios’ forthcoming 4K re-issue of The Abyss is a presentation that has been a long time coming and honestly worth the wait. That is especially the case for those who are familiar with the movie. For those who perhaps are less familiar with the movie (and even those who have not seen the film in some time) its success comes in part through its featured story. The story is (as Cameron notes in one of the new bonus features) really a take of sorts on 20th Century’s equally timeless science fiction flick, The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951). He notes in his comments, the influence of said classic movie comes as the so-called “NTI’s” (the underwater aliens) point out to Bud (star Ed Harris – Appaloosa, The Rock, The Truman Show), humans’ destructive nature. The bigger story opens as a nuclear submarine is inadvertently sunk when it gets caught in the wake of one of the “NTIs” and then runs into an underwater mountain. From there, a group of military figures is brought in to recover a nuclear warhead from the sub, leading to a conflict between the more peace-loving crew of the “Deep Core” and the military men. That conflict of “war and peace” is a trend that Cameron has continued to use most recently in the far less original Avatar movies. Cameron talks at just as much length in the comments about that destructive nature of mankind in his comments in the new bonus content and this will be discussed more later. Again, at the time of this movie’s debut there were few if any other movies or even television shows out there that focused on beings from other worlds existing below the waves. The focus was entirely on outer space, so while the bigger presentation is familiar, that concept of the final frontier being underwater instead of outer space makes for such a unique presentation, as does the story and how it unfolds.
The story at the center of The Abyss builds a solid foundation for its presentation and is just one part of what makes this movie so enjoyable. The special effects that are exhibited throughout the movie build on the story’s success, making for even more enjoyment. That is because considering the era, the use of computers was so limited. This is something else that is pointed out in the new bonus content that accompanies the movie. Cameron himself and others point out that the use of computers was limited primarily to the creation of the pseudopod creature that eventually makes its way into the Deep Core late in the story. Even the “NTIs” were real to a point. According to the information in the bonus content, they were puppets, and some added non-computer effects were used to make it look like they were floating in the water. Meanwhile, the balanced use of model submarines, the lighting and even the use of the giant 60-fooot tank for the shooting ties with the actual use of unique sound from the helmets (and that of the helmets themselves) gives the special effects such a welcome organic look and sense. It is such a welcome change of pace from all of the overly obvious fake looking CG special effects that fill out so many major blockbusters nowadays. Even Cameron himself said that movies today would not succeed in looking and feeling the way that The Abyss does with the new special effects technology that is available to filmmakers. He is right, too. It just goes to show how important the special effects were and still are to The Abyss.
Speaking of the importance of the special effects, one of the two new bonus features that comes with the re-issue and which examines the movie’s legacy points out that organic approach is a big part of what makes the movie such a timeless story. That note is right. It was a groundbreaker for its era since few if any studios and movie makers were doing what Cameron and his crew and cast did with this movie. The nearly half-hour discussion on the role of the movie’s special effects (including the use of the models) is so in-depth that it makes the movie that much more engaging and in turn appreciated. It is just one of the ways in which the bonus content proves so important to this presentation. The “Deep Dive” bonus does even more to express that importance. Over the course of more than half an hour (32 minutes to be exact) Cameron talks about his perfectionist nature and his own dislike of technology and how that played into the story that he crafted for The Abyss. He adds that dislike of technology, that distrust of it, is what he believes leads so many science fiction writers to craft their stories. He is not wrong, considering how many of the timeless science fiction movies of the 1950s were in fact message movies that while entertaining also preached against the potential impact of the use of nuclear power. How ironic, in hindsight, is that, considering that almost every bit of The Abyss was recorded in a nuclear storage unit whose construction was never completed? He also talks about how despite being a perfectionist, he was impressed by Harris’ own determination to get his parts just right. It is a show of dedication by Harris to his craft and in turn makes for more respect for Harris as an actor. Cameron opens this whole feature by pointing out that he actually wrote the original script for what would go on to become The Abyss at the age of only 16. It would be interesting to see the original story that he wrote and only revisited 10 years later (his own words).
Perhaps what is most interesting of all about all of this is that much of the new bonus content that accompanies this re-issue is actually included in the traveling James Cameron museum exhibit, “Challenging The Deep.” The exhibit features props used during the filming of The Abyss, including a pair of helmets used in the filming, one of the model NTI “vehicles” used as well, and other items. To see that footage that was part of the exhibit included here is just a positive aesthetic in the bigger picture because in hindsight, those who have gotten to see said exhibit (such as this critic) can smile knowing they got a supposed first look at the footage. Between that, the impact of the bonus content, the story and the special effects, 20th Century Studios’ forthcoming 4K UHD re-issue of The Abyss proves to be a welcome re-visiting of this modern classic movie that any science fiction fan will find enjoyable.
20th Century Studios’ forthcoming 4K UHD re-issue of The Abyss is a welcome return for the movie that many audiences will find was worth the wait. That is proven in part through its story which like so many classic science fiction flicks, is equal parts message movie and entertaining action flick. That is the case even despite its at times cruelly slow pacing. The pacing makes its nearly three hour run time feel right at that length if not longer. The movie’s groundbreaking special effects make for their own entertainment and engagement because they are so original even to this day. The two new bonus features that accompany the movie in its new 4K UHD re-issue put the finishing touch to the presentation, truly taking audiences into a deep dive of their own into the movie and its history. That is because of the in-depth discussions on so much of its presentation. Each item examined here is important in its own way to the whole of this movie. All things considered they make the 4K UHD re-issue of The Abyss the first great entry in 2024’s new movie and television re-issues category.
20h Century Studios’ 4K UHD re-issue of The Abyss is scheduled for home physical release March 12. It is available digitally now. More information on this and other titles from 20th Century Studios is available at:
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