DVD During the height of the Cold War an American submarine is lost in mysterious circumstances. A nearby civilian deep-sea oil drilling platform is called in to help a group of Navy SEALs locate the crash site.
Details
The USS Montana, an American nuclear submarine, is on patrol during the height of the Cold War. When it is buzzed by a mysterious craft, the crew assume it is Soviet and pursue at maximum speed. Unfortunately, the submarine collides with a channel wall and is lost to the abyss, along with its crew and complement of nuclear missiles.
The US Navy is mobilised and rescue divers are dispatched to recover the warheads before nearby Russian forces can reach them. A civilian deep-sea oil drilling platform is recruited to assist with locating the wreck and, together with the SEAL team, they soon discover the submarine resting on the ocean floor.
During the rescue operation a hurricane batters the surface vessels and communication with the Deepcore platform is severed when a crane crashes to the seabed. While investigating the wreckage the crew encounter a strange yet peaceful entity. However, the increasingly unstable SEAL commander believes it to be a new Soviet weapon and embarks on a top-secret mission that threatens the crew's safety - and potentially global war.
Picture & Sound
With so many dark interiors and underwater scenes, the picture quality is quite remarkable. The image is sharp, with strong colour and impressive detail, though occasionally the clarity exposes some of the blue-screen effects. It is the sound, however, that truly elevates this presentation..
The surround channels are extensively used for ambient effects - dripping water, creaking hull plates and groaning metal under immense pressure - brilliantly reinforcing the film's claustrophobic atmosphere. It certainly makes you think twice about volunteering for submarine duty.
Although there are relatively few LFE moments, when they arrive they are deployed to tremendous effect - particularly during the crane collapse and subsequent flooding sequence. Dialogue remains clear and well anchored in the centre channel, with an excellent balance between speech and effects.
Menu & Extras
The menus are just as impressive. Set within the docking bay of the Deepcore platform, selecting an option causes the camera to pan around the bay and transition smoothly into another room before revealing the next set of choices. It's a clever design, later echoed on the special edition of Independence Day.
This special edition warrants a second disc purely for its extensive extras. There is so much material here that it's easy to lose hours simply navigating the menus. One of the most impressive inclusions is the complete film storyboard - all 700 panels of it.
Overall
This is arguably James Cameron's finest film - even surpassing Titanic and The Terminator. At the time of release CGI was still in its infancy, and the Pseudopod sequence caused a considerable stir. Without today's digital tools, the production relied heavily on practical models and blue-screen techniques. The spectacular tidal wave ending, absent from the original theatrical cut, could only be fully realised years later when CGI technology had advanced sufficiently for the special edition.
The only real disappointment is the absence of a full audio commentary. Unlike the laserdisc special edition, this release includes only a text-based commentary track. Nevertheless, it remains highly informative, particularly regarding the demanding underwater shoot and groundbreaking special effects work. Presumably the omission of the audio version was due to disc space limitations.
Even if you already own the original release, this special edition is well worth upgrading to. The additional footage deepens character development and expands on the escalating geopolitical tension on the surface - elements barely touched upon in the theatrical cut.
Special features
- Special Edition with 28 Minutes of Additional Footage
- Original Theatrical Version
- Text-Only Commentary for Both Versions
- Collector's Edition 12-Page Booklet
- Cast and Crew Biographies
- "Under Pressure: The Making of The Abyss" 60-Minute Documentary
- James Cameron's Complete Screenplay
- Deepcore Construction Time-Lapse Photography
- Videomatic Montage
- Production Notes - Writer/Director and Screenplay, Production Team, Design Team, Storyboarding Process, Character Development and Casting
- Multi-Angle Pseudopod Sequence - Final Version, Storyboards, Original Dailies and Working Cut/Temporary FX
- Trailers - Teaser Trailer, Main Theatrical Trailer, Preview Trailer and True Lies Trailer
- Special Effects - Engine Room Flooding SFX Filming, "Montana Bridge" Flooding SFX Filming, Miniature Rear Projection SFX Filming and Time-Lapse Model Photography
- Mission Components - Design, Construction and Production Notes on The Tidal Wave, Bethnic Explorer, Cab One, Cab Three, Deepcore, The Pseudopod, Flatbed, Little Geek, Big Geek, USS Montana, NTI Scout, NTI Manta, NTI Ark, the NTIs and The Deep Suit
- Three DVD-ROM Games
