The Abyss (1989)
When you get there, you will understand.
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.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 9 August 1989 |
| Genre | Adventure, Thriller, Science Fiction |
| Director | James Cameron |
| Starring | Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Michael Biehn |
| Runtime | 140 min |
| Rated | PG-13 |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 7.2/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 89% · Metacritic 62/100 · TMDB users 7.4/10 |
| Budget | $47 million |
| Box office | $90 million worldwide |
Where to watch The Abyss
The Abyss is streaming on Disney+ ($21.49 a month) in the US. It is also on Tubi. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Disney+ is $21.49 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 30 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Rent or buy
You can rent The Abyss on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home and Spectrum On Demand. It is also for sale on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch The Abyss in 55 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Argentina | Disney+ $15599 ARS |
| Australia | Disney+ $17.99 AUD |
| Austria | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Belgium | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Belize | Disney+ |
| Bolivia | Disney+ |
| Brazil | Disney+ R$49.90 |
| Bulgaria | Disney+ €9.99 |
| Canada | Disney+ $15.99 CAD |
| Chile | Disney+ $10990 CLP |
| Colombia | Disney+ $36900 COP |
| Costa Rica | Disney+ |
| Croatia | Disney+ €9.99 |
| Czechia | Disney+ 219 Kč |
| Denmark | Disney+ 119 kr DKK |
| Dominican Republic | Disney+ |
| Ecuador | Disney+ $11.49 |
| El Salvador | Disney+ |
| Finland | Disney+ €11.99 |
| France | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Germany | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Greece | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Guatemala | Disney+ |
| Honduras | Disney+ |
| Hong Kong | Disney+ HK$88 |
| Hungary | Disney+ 2990 Ft |
| Ireland | Disney+ €11.99 |
| Italy | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Jamaica | Disney+ |
| Japan | Disney+ ¥1250 JPY |
| Liechtenstein | Disney+ |
| Luxembourg | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Mexico | Disney+ $259 MXN |
| Netherlands | Disney+ €10.99 |
| New Zealand | Disney+ $18.99 NZD |
| Nicaragua | Disney+ |
| Norway | Disney+ 129 kr NOK |
| Panama | Disney+ $12.49 |
| Paraguay | Disney+ |
| Peru | Disney+ S/49.90 |
| Poland | Disney+ 34.99 zł |
| Portugal | Disney+ €10.99 |
| Romania | Disney+ 34.99 lei |
| San Marino | Disney+ |
| Singapore | Disney+ $18.98 SGD |
| Slovakia | Disney+ €9.99 |
| South Korea | Disney+ ₩9900 |
| Spain | Disney+ €10.99 |
| St. Lucia | Disney+ |
| Sweden | Disney+ 129 kr SEK |
| Switzerland | Disney+ CHF16.90 |
| Taiwan | Disney+ NT$285 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | Disney+ |
| Uruguay | Disney+ about $U522 |
| Venezuela | Disney+ |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
James Cameron’s 1989 film is a 140-minute plunge into the deep. It pairs military tension with a cosmic mystery, anchored by Ed Harris and Michael Biehn. The hook is simple: go far enough down, and the ocean stops behaving like water. It is a slow burn that trusts its audience to sit with the pressure. If you like your sci-fi to feel heavy and wet, this is the one.
What the critics said
Critics liked the first two hours and questioned the last one. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 89% as of August 2024, while Metacritic lands on 62 out of 100, a score that suggests "generally favorable" reviews. David Ansen of Newsweek called the payoff "pretty damn silly." He was not alone in finding the conclusion messy. Caryn James of The New York Times described the ending as "like getting off a demon roller coaster." The special effects got the praise; the script got the blame. A fair trade, provided you don't mind the plot holes.
How it did with audiences
The Abyss opened to $9.3 million, landing at #2 behind Parenthood. It eventually took in $54.2 million in North America and $35.5 million elsewhere, totaling $89.8 million worldwide. Against a $47 million budget, that is a solid, if unglamorous, return. On TMDB, users rate it 7.4 out of 10.
What came next for the cast
Ed Harris arrived with The Right Stuff and left with The Truman Show. The gap between them is a career, not a footnote. Michael Biehn went from Aliens to Tombstone, trading alien threats for gunfights. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio swapped Scarface for The Perfect Storm. These credits do not prove The Abyss caused the shift. They simply mark the time.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Abyss.
Sources
- The Abyss on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q336517 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Abyss” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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