The Abyss: Deep Dive or Just Deeply Weird?

Hey all, moviebuff_marc here. Just rewatched "The Abyss" last night and man, it's still a trip. Anyone else remember seeing this in theaters back in '89? I remember being blown away by the special effects – I mean, the water tentacle thing? Totally innovative for the time. But watching it now, I gotta ask... is it just me, or does the whole alien underwater civilization thing feel...kinda cheesy? Bud Brigman (Ed Harris) is a total badass, no question. He reminds me a bit of a modern-day Captain Nemo, all gruff but with a hidden heart of gold. And Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as his estranged wife, Lindsey? She's phenomenal. But that whole 'aliens will destroy us unless we learn to love each other' message at the end felt a bit forced, didn't it? I dunno, maybe I'm just cynical in my old age. Still, the scene where Bud breathes the liquid oxygen is intense. Makes me think about what it would be like with today´s technology. I'm also curious: Did anyone prefer the theatrical cut or the special edition? I always felt like the added scenes of the aliens stopping the war felt outta place. It took away from the claustrophobic tension of the original. I guess what I'm really asking is: is "The Abyss" a sci-fi masterpiece that holds up, or is it more of a quirky, dated spectacle that's more interesting for its technical achievements than its actual story? Maybe I'm just missing something... what do you guys think?