The Abyss (1989)
Kernel Score: 83% · 3,349 ratings · Rated PG-13
Genres: Adventure, Thriller, Science Fiction
Released: 1989-08-09
Runtime: 140 minutes
Is The Abyss worth watching?
Worth watching. James Cameron sends an oil-rig crew deep underwater and finds something strange. It's a tense, inventive sci-fi adventure with great effects for its time, though the ending feels softer than the build-up promises. A solid, underrated Cameron film.
Watch it if you
- love Cameron's blend of tension and wonder
- enjoy underwater or claustrophobic settings
- like sci-fi with practical effects
Skip it if you
- dislike sentimental endings
- are put off by a long running time
Best for: Sci-fi night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch The Abyss
- Stream: Disney+, Philo, BBC America
- Free with ads: Tubi
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-26.
Overview
A civilian oil rig crew is recruited to conduct a search and rescue effort when a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks. One diver soon finds himself on a spectacular odyssey 25,000 feet below the ocean's surface where he confronts a mysterious force that has the power to change the world or destroy it.
The Abyss parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that The Abyss (PG-13) is a tense underwater sci-fi thriller with peril, and one review notes it contains zero profanity.
- Violence & scariness: Some — Underwater peril, a sinking submarine, and tense confrontations, but a cited review notes zero profanity and family-friendly action.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG-13 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Abyss
If you liked The Abyss, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Aliens (1986) — 94%: Cameron's tense sci-fi thriller with a strong ensemble
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) — 95%: Cameron's sequel that mixes big action with real emotion
- Avatar (2009) — 86%: Cameron's later epic about humans meeting a world beyond their own
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) — 81%: Sci-fi about contact with something wondrous and unknown
- 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) — 77%: Claustrophobic thriller where the threat outside stays unclear
- Sunshine (2007) — 77%: Tense sci-fi mission that goes wrong in unusual ways
Director
Cast
- Ed Harris as Virgil 'Bud' Brigman
- Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Lindsey Brigman
- Michael Biehn as Lieutenant Hiram Coffey
- Leo Burmester as Catton ‘Catfish’ De Vries
- Todd Graff as Alan 'Hippy' Carnes
- John Bedford Lloyd as Jammer Willis
- Kimberly Scott as Lisa 'One Night' Standing
- Chris Elliott as Bendix
- J.C. Quinn as Arliss 'Sonny' Dawson
- Pierce Oliver Brewer, Jr. as Lew Finler
The Abyss FAQ
Is The Abyss worth watching?
Worth watching. James Cameron sends an oil-rig crew deep underwater and finds something strange. It's a tense, inventive sci-fi adventure with great effects for its time, though the ending feels softer than the build-up promises. A solid, underrated Cameron film.
Where can I watch The Abyss?
In the US you can stream The Abyss on Disney+, Philo and BBC America, watch it free with ads on Tubi and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is The Abyss OK for kids?
The Abyss is rated PG-13. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that The Abyss (PG-13) is a tense underwater sci-fi thriller with peril, and one review notes it contains zero profanity.
What movies are like The Abyss?
If you liked The Abyss, try Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Avatar and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.