The Big Picture Of all the films in James Cameron's filmography, his 1989 movie, The Abyss, might be the most overlooked. It was just as ambitious as most of his other blockbuster projects, yet it only made a meager $90 million against its approximately $45 million budget, abysmal compared to his usual record-breaking standards. Over time, it has languished in a lack of home video distribution, making it even more buried.
Release Date August 9, 1989 Director James Cameron Cast Ed Harris , Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio , Michael Biehn , Leo Burmester , Todd Graff , John Bedford Lloyd Runtime 140 minutes Main Genre Adventure Writers James Cameron Studio 20th Century Fox Tagline A place on Earth more awesome than anywhere in space. What Is 'The Abyss' About? The Abyss tells the story of a private, commercial deep-sea drilling crew who have been hired by the U.S.
James Cameron's Political Implications in 'The Abyss' The Special Edition is important because it crucially changes the film's meaning. Of all the passages added back into the movie, what stands out most isn't the "tidal wave" finished with new CGI by Industrial Light and Magic, but the news clips of war, bombings, and nuclear armageddon.