Only a little. The Abyss has a few tense moments, nothing that follows you to bed.

What is The Abyss rated, and is it OK for kids?

Rated PG-13. Expect moderate sex and nudity, and some strong language, so it suits teens more than kids.

The Abyss (1989)

Film · 2h 20m · Rated PG-13

Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller

A civilian dive crew discovers an otherworldly force that could change humanity or destroy it, 25,000 feet deep.

Suspenseful and epic. A late-night trip at a measured pace. Emotionally it is heavy.

Streaming on Disney+ and Tubi (free).

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The Abyss parents guide

For a PG-13, this one goes further: moderate sex and nudity. Beyond that, some strong language and some violence.

Our estimate: fine from about 16, higher than the PG-13 suggests, because of the sex and nudity.

Scare: Mildly scary; A few tense or eerie moments.
Jump scares: A couple; One or two sudden jolts.
Gore: Light gore; Some blood or injury, briefly.
Violence: Some violence; Some fighting or peril.
Sex and nudity: Moderate; Moderate means a sex scene or nudity on screen, even brief, or sexual violence that is described or implied but never shown.
Language: Moderate; Some strong profanity, a few f-words.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is The Abyss scary?: Only a little. The Abyss has a few tense moments, nothing that follows you to bed.
How gory is The Abyss?: Light gore and some violence.
What is The Abyss rated, and is it OK for kids?: Rated PG-13. Expect moderate sex and nudity, and some strong language, so it suits teens more than kids.

What is The Abyss about?

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.

Does it have a happy ending? (spoiler-safe)

It leaves the ending open to interpretation.