When I first saw The Abyss I was totally blown away by the cinematic beauty of the film. This movie is a masterpiece of cinematography. Every moment of imagery is still etched in my mind. Going back and watching the movie recently for a third time, I just can't reconcile the narrative elements. It seems to me the screenwriters wrote about 5 or 6 short films which Cameron then linked together to make what I still believe is a really fine movie experience. But the lack of a connected link from the beginning of the film to end leaves me slightly pained and dissatisfied. And I don't mind films that don't follow the standard 3 act narrative structure. I love Memento, Magnolia, and hundreds of films that break with traditional structure. But those films have scenes and acts that are connected. Viewers can follow the storyline, challenging as it may be. The Abyss proves that great actors, cinematographers, and directors can almost never overcome a clunky script.
Review of The Abyss
