Skeeter Boy (8 out of 10 ) When I fist saw this movie, I'll admit it was freaky. I mean just going down a dark hole not knowing what's "really" down there is freaky.
Fleur Delacour's Man (10 out of 10 ) This movie was great because you could see the real ship and all that stuff.
Metron (10 out of 10 ) Awesome movie. I've been a fan since it came out. Heavily recommend the extended cut over the theatrical. This was a movie that felt incredibly real, probably at least partially because they really were underwater for a larger part of the filming.
J Tucker (9 out of 10 ) Cameron is at the top of his game on this script. His in in-depth research on the science and technology of deep sea exploration add a dimension of reality to The Abyss that is rarely seen in mainstream movies. His characters are drawn well and all are memorable. The dynamic between the leads is great- with the real pain and remorse of a difficult relationship. His portrayal of the warped military mindset is convincing. The introduction of the NTI's is very surprising and well-done- although controversial when the movie was released. The message is clear, and if somewhat over simplified, it is effective. It plays a rare note of hope and humanity in an action film. With this script and "Aliens" Cameron reached his zenith as a writer. He is justifiably credited with redefining the action/sci-fi drama genre and raising it to a higher level. Unfortunately for Cameron, his brilliant attention to detail and bold, but meticulous production planning in The Abyss foreshadows his Achilles heel as a writer and director. Following this project, Cameron became obsessed with production design and technique. After being submerged into the anti-creativity, spectacle-obsessed atmosphere of Hollywood for a few years, Cameron's writing abilities waned and he became focused on bombastic visuals as content. Too bad, The Abyss is everything a great Sci-Fi/Action movie should be. Despite its length, it remains a stellar example in its genre. It stands up well after almost twenty years, and still speaks a relevant message.
byron (9 out of 10 ) Great read. I really enjoyed how you get a deeper feel for Lt Coffee (Michael Biehn's character). He's almost sympathetic as much as twisted. That's what makes Cameron's movies work. The character. The way he goes into the sci-fi and the action is always welcome, but it's the fact that he breaks away from the cookie cutter characters of most films that works on the ultimate levels. How I wish he would have been able to go ahead and do Spiderman in the late 90s.
Glenville R Roberts (8 out of 10 ) The first 10 pages sets the pace of this great tense filled film. Loved it. The script is strong and has motivated me to do a reedit of my movie script. Cheers and thanks.
Henry K (10 out of 10 ) Masterpiece. The characters, the Brigmans relationship, the amazing setup, the technical input, the writting, the dialogues, the humor, the ending, the way everything connects, it's perfect. I'm just done reading it and it feels like it's the best thing I've ever read. James Cameron is a freakin' genius and now I'm scared to death of going back to writting my own screenplay. I'd probably need a new brain and a couple of centuries to come up with something close to this.
mike (10 out of 10 ) Great read, and great movie, too. Albeit with some differences between it and the movie. In the script, the glow at the bottom of the cliff was caused by algae. But in the movie, the glow, bright purple, came straight from the NTI ark. Also, in the movie, the craft has 8 spires set around the outer circumference instead of 7 spires (6 on the outer circumference plus the taller one in the center) mentioned in the script. It is really amazing, even in the movie, that the NTIs turned out to be very friendly beings. Rescuing Bud, carrying the rig to the surface, and everything. It all certainly would not have been a good ending at all for the Deep Core crew were it not for the NTIs.
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