Disney+ removes blockbuster Hollywood movie after sparking complaints with 'abusive scene which causes real terror'

Daily Mail​

18-06-2025

Disney+ has removed a blockbuster Hollywood movie after sparking complaints with an 'abusive scene which causes real terror'.
The Abyss, released in 1989 and directed by James Cameron, is about a top secret mission to recover a nuclear submarine that sunk in mysterious circumstances.
The sci-fi thriller is a lesser-known title among the award-winning director's filmography, which also includes Titanic and Avatar.
The Truman Show's Ed Harris, Scarface's Mary Mastrantonio and Aliens ' Michael Biehn are among some of the talented cast members.
It was nominated for four Academy Awards in 1990: Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Sound, while it won Best Visual Effects.
But it has now been removed from Disney+ amid long-running controversy over one scene which sees a real rat submerged and held down in fluorocarbon liquid.
The sci-fi thriller is a lesser known title among the award-winning director's filmography, which also includes Titanic and Avatar
Rich in oxygen and able to absorb carbon dioxide, fluorocarbon liquids are often used to facilitate the process of so-called liquid breathing.
Indeed, the animals used in the shoot reportedly survived - but the scene has long been banned from the cinema and any DVDs or other physical media in the UK.
When the film was first set to be screened in the cinema when it came out in the eighties, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) took advice from the RSPCA.
The animal cruelty prevention charity made clear its opposition to the scene at the time: 'The forcible immersion of the rat... caused terror.'
The BBFC, as the film regulator, therefore put in place the ban on the scene, under the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937 and the Video Recordings Act 1984.
This automatically meant the scene could not be shown in terrestrial television reruns either.
The Ofcom Broadcasting Code, the regulations all British channels are bound by, states any material banned by the BBFC must also not be shown on TV.
But the RSPCA recently spoke out again on the issue, calling the scene an 'infliction of terror', after a completely unedited version of The Abyss was added to Disney+ in April.
It pointed out streaming platforms are not bound by these same standards - and the organisation feared 'this provides a loophole to broadcasting animal abuse long considered unacceptable on other medium'.
David Bowles, the charity's head of public affairs, has said: 'This isn't about cancel culture.
'We'd welcome Disney+ reinstating the film to their platform, just with this troubling scene removed - as is already the case in cinemas, on TV and on DVD.
'This was instead about highlighting a loophole that currently exists allowing animal abuse scenes deemed unacceptable elsewhere to be streamed freely and legally into our homes - and protecting the public from having to see this animal abuse content.
'The Abyss's controversial rat scene has long concerned the RSPCA and has always been deemed unacceptable by BBFC.
'So, it was hard to fathom why Disney+ decided to broadcast it.
'People deserve to be assured they will not be inadvertently exposed to content which promotes or showcases cruelty to animals.
'And as the way most households consume entertainment changes, regulations must be agile to that and continue to robustly protect animals.'
The RSPCA pointed out the Media Act, which came in just over a year ago, enhances Ofcom's regulation of streaming platform.
The broadcaster regulator is soon to publish a new set of rules for video-on-demand services, due to be finalised later this year.
David said: 'We hope a new code of conduct under the Media Act will help close this loophole.
'But we need to see a degree of consistency between streaming platforms and other forms of more traditional entertainment so people can have confidence when watching films and other shows.
'It doesn't make sense that we have robust safeguards for animal-related content shown in cinemas, on DVDs or on traditional television channels - yet those protections could go out the window when you turn on a major streaming service.
'We can't backtrack now on what society deems is acceptable in terms of how we treat animals.'
Dr Charlotte C. Burn, associate professor of behaviour science at the Royal Veterinary College, has previously analysed the scene, for which five different rats were used.
She said: 'They defecated in the liquid, which is a common response to intense panic.
'It was clear that the rats experienced terror because they struggled desperately, their extremities turned blue-ish white and they were shown gasping 12 times with their mouths stretched open the widest they could possibly go.'
The academic continued: 'To add insult to injury, a rat was then lifted out of the liquid by the tail and dangled for a full six seconds, during which time she exerts great effort as she struggles and her ears are laid flat against her head.
'Being lifted by the tail is highly distressing and painful for rodents.'
A BBFC spokesperson has previously said: 'Through our trusted age ratings and content advice, the BBFC works to empower audiences to make informed viewing decisions.
'All our age ratings are informed by our published Classification Guidelines, which are based on wide-scale public consultation.
'We also take into account UK legislation, and we will not classify any material that is in breach of the criminal law.
'The Abyss was originally submitted to the BBFC in 1989, containing a scene in which a character submerges a live rat in liquid.
'We sought expert legal and veterinary advice - from the RSPCA - at the time which confirmed the scene constituted the cruel infliction of terror on an animal, and its exhibition would contravene the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937.
'As a result, the scene was edited from the film in order to be legally exhibited in the UK.
'The scene remains cut from all BBFC-classified versions for cinema and home entertainment release.'
It comes after the film, which won director James a Saturn Award for Best Director, was praised by viewers earlier this year, when it also landed on Netflix.
The movie's impressive visual effects were produced by filming underwater in tanks inside an disused power plant in South Carolina, USA.
Many have taken to Rotten Tomatoes, where the film has an impressive 89 per cent score, to leave their verdicts, raving about it as 'the most intense movie'.
One posted: 'One of Cameron's best films. Amazing use of practical effects as well as groundbreaking CGI that still (mostly) holds up today.';
'Move over Avatar and Aliens - The Abyss is James Cameron's unsung action adventure masterpiece.
'Complete with the archetypal characters typical of a Cameron film, this submersible tale of aliens and the deep blue ocean is an unforgettable thrill ride.
'Packaged with relatable and interesting people, the stakes are always high and the action never stops, as Cameron takes you deep underwater in this claustrophobic epic. This is a blockbuster film and a classic, mark my words!';
'James Cameron's best film IMO. A work of art that was very difficult to make, but it was worth it.
'The performances, set design, storyline and special effects are beyond amazing. This is top of the line film at the highest level of all time. Perfection!'
While another added: 'Back in the nineties, I had the pleasure of experiencing this mind-blowing sci-fi film and even to this day, it continues to captivate me.
'Undoubtedly, it has secured its place as one of my all-time favourites in the genre.
They commented on the difference between edited and unedited versions: 'However, let me tell you, the uncut version takes the brilliance to a whole new level.'