The Abyss
			Dir: James Cameron (1989) Cast: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, and Michael Biehn.
				This film is about an underwater rig crew led by Virgil Brigham (Ed Harris) who are drafted in to work with the navy who have lost a nuclear submarine and want answers, so they descend with Brigham's estranged wife (Mary Elizabeth Mastratonio) to the rig.  During the investigation of the forlorn submarine an unusual spirit is seen by a few member of the crew.  The world topside is in chaos a storm is traveling the globe and the world two superpowers are at each other's throats, the links with the surface is severed and the world below quickly becomes dangerous.  But Virgil soon finds himself on a spectacular odyssey at the bottom of the ocean, but is he in time to save humanity? So this is James Cameron does water for the first time, so it should be good, right? This film is a basically a good version of Aliens relocated to under the Pacific Ocean.  But the sub plots are enough to get you gripped until the aliens make their first major appearance, which is after an hour.  The storyline involved the estranged relationship between Vigil and Lindsey Brigham is predictable enough but has a few interesting twist that help keep you interested in their relationship.  But it is Michael Biehn's gradual descent into deep pressure induced psychosis that keeps you gripped. Like ET The Abyss concerns itself with Aliens who are not malevolent but rather from a highly intelligent species interested in us and wanting us to be nicer to each other.  Yes, it is sentimental but it is well shot and brilliantly acted. Considering this was shot in the late 80s the special effects do have their faults but they are not that bad and the miniature work is amazing, as is the underwater photography.  The Abyss is in my humble opinion James Cameron's finest and most original film to date. A watery 5 out of 5