The Abyss (1989) - Act 1 Setup, Theatrical Cut

First off, see this film, then see the making of documentary about it, Under Pressure.

It is my favorite James Cameron film. The extended edit is also good, but today I rewatched the first act of the theactrical cut.

Find a second/third source or perhaps compare them for yourself before you quote me on this part, but from what I understand, the film ran long, and most of the editing for the theatrical release was done in the last third of the movie, so you could take another pespective if you broke down that cut (probably extending Act 1 theory up through Bud and Lindsey's conversation about what she "saw" down there, and the story question would remain the same).

To me the film sets up much like Jurassic Park.
An event sets the film off, we meet our main characters as they're asked to help, we learn a thing or two about the world we're in (to be paid off later), we settle into our new surroundings, and we set up the question of the film. Here we have a sci-fi mystery that unravels into a huge conversation on mankind, peace, and our connection to "alien" life.

From this we can see the film's main question.
What is the connection between us, possible "aliens," and a nuclear weapon several times the size of those from WW2?

An all around fun film. Great motifs (think wedding ring), great scenes (think "You never backed down from anything in your life! Now fight! Fight! Fight!"), great ticking clocks (everwhere, but think storm coming).

Good power and energy to you.