Rating: 
Summary: Behold The Abyss
Review: The Abyss has always been a film that I've enjoyed since first seeing it on the big screen in 1989. James Cameron's ambitious film about a underwater oilrig crew that discovers an overwhelming entity is a exciting and visually amazing film.The story is about an underwater oilrig crew that is teamed up with a small Navy SEAL unit on a search and recover mission for a US Naval submarine that has mysteriously disappeared in a deep canyon. Within this deep canyon beholds an amazing secret. Ed Harris is Bud Brigman the oilrig's chief, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as his estranged wife Lindsey and head engineer for the underwater rig. Both are terrific as the couple who are brought back together under extreme circumstances. Michael Biehn is the Navy SEAL leader who develops HPNS and endangers everybody involved. Leo Bermeister, Todd Graff and Kimberly Scott are standouts as Bud's crew members. The story itself is dramatic, exciting and filled with surprises. The visual effects are amazing and among the earliest to use computer generated effects. Alan Silvestri's score is both mysterious and majestic. While James Cameron alienated a lot of the crew during the rigerous filming, he delivered one really exciting film. You might call it a Sci-fi romantic adventure film. This DVD release incorporates footage that was edited from it's intial theatrical release. While it lengthens the film a bit, the missing scenes are significant to the film's exciting climax and help clarify the story further. The extras that are included are plenty and take you behind the making one of James Cameron's best films.
Rating:
Summary: The director's cut seals it.
Review: One of the most exciting thriller-adventure-fantasy films ever. Don't miss the director's cut, as it makes the goings-on much clearer and more satisfying.
Rating: 
Summary: Unjustly Panned
Review: This film is marvelous, and is arguably James Camerons best film to date. The Special Edition is a film all it's own, and the version I was previously speaking of. It has an incredibly profound messege hidden in a really cool story with some great performances. As emotionally epic as Titanic in my opinion, but without the 50's-ish melodrama. Ed Harris delivers one of his best performances and the special effects still stand up to scrutiny in a world of Jar-Jar Binks' and See through Mummy's. The debit is of course the length, handled somewhat well but (hey I'm being honest) not well enough for the nearly three hours it encompasses. Multiple viewings will reveal a marvelous epic that rivals Close Encounters of the Third Kind as one of the best Aliens-on-Earth movies ever made.
Rating:
Summary: A Titanic of a movie
Review: I loved this movie on laserdisc. Now, I really love it. The digital track is superb. The alternate endings allow for unlimited fun and repeated viewings. AMVery satisfying film. She would love it. I missed it until now. You never know how good a movie is until you get the director's cut. This ones rules, and you should keep the lines open and never forget him (Cameron).
Rating: 
Summary: Abyss soars in picture but falls in sound
Review: The special edition of this movie does help explain some plot holes that seemed missing in original version. The digital transfer of the movie gives it a better and more real-life like feel of the underwater world. The aliens are more powerful than it was shown in original version. The submarine was brought down on purpose not accidentally probed. This movie though tediously slow-paced would have gotten a five star if not for the sound. The sound is subdued and even the score which sounded great 10 years ago feels underperformed in this movie. NOW, I know why the Abyss may be in Dolby Digital sound but it is NOT 5.1 discrete. It is in at best 5.0 which is a combination of Digital surround and pro-logic front. MY PROGIC LOGIC DISPLAY BUTTON is on at all times throughout the movie. Think about it how else could he put two versions of a 2+ hour movie on the same disc. Lastly, that is some cool tidal wave at the end.
Rating:
Summary: Feeling the deep blue ocean out.
Review: The Abyss is a great piece of work by a director that really knows how to stir up your senses. Many of the underwater scenes really give you a feeling of the dark, cold, hostile environment in the deep ocean. Combined with a great story, this film is one of my all time sci-fi favourites. Look and sounds great on DVD. The special edition DVD is also filled with an endless list of extra features.
Rating:
Summary: Isn't it Great?
Review: I have been reading the reviews below and thinking, "Isn't just great?". Many people are not James Cameron fans, which is fine, not everybody likes every thing. They still give very honest and good points about "The Abyss". The most interesting thing I have read was the opinions of how the 2 versions differ from each other and, more important, each version has adamant fans. The beauty of this DVD is that you now have a choice in the same package to view either one. And the extra materials in the DVD, for movie making fans, are awe inspiring. Watch the movie for the story...then watch it again after you see what the actors, in particular, Ed Harris, did to bring the story to you, and you realize, this movie deserves all the praise it recieves. Good story, awesome DVD....Hope Titanic gets the special edition treatment someday.
Rating:
Summary: Sets a New Standard for Extras!
Review: This is an excellent DVD. You get the original theatrical version, the Director's Cut plus all the extras. This is one of the best DVD's out there! If I HAD to pick one flaw, it would have to be the DVD is not Anamorphic widescreen. Aside from that, if you like the Abyss, pick up a copy of this DVD. You won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Awsome....but....
Review: This is definaately one of the best DVD's around. The options are incredible and both versions are awsome. The only problem I had with the DVD is the fact that it seems like the sound transfer was unbalanced. the dialoug seemed too quiet at parts and i had to constantly lower and raise the levels. otherwise, this is a must have for any movie fan.
Rating:
Summary: tedium beneath the sea
Review: personally i think the regular version of this movie was quite enough james camerons overrated undersea adventures left me wanting to watch pirahna all over again.although the undersea photography is awesome,it installs anever realized sense of dread. sink this one next to the wreck of thetitanic.
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