Summary
Waterworld is one of the most infamous blockbusters of all time, but does the fan-edited Waterworld “Ulysses Cut” transform it into a great movie? During the early 1990s, Kevin Costner was on a hot streak of movies that were huge hits and critically well-received. This includes Dances With Wolves, The Bodyguard, and JFK. However, his movie star status took a blow with Waterworld, which is a Mad Max-esque tale about a future world covered almost entirely by water. The blockbuster was a pre-CG spectacle filled with incredible sets, elaborate action, and epic vistas.
At the time, the word of Waterworld’s messy production was regularly in the news cycle, as issues with filming on the water and other logistic nightmares caused the budget to swell to $175 million. Costner clashed with director Kevin Reynolds too, causing the movie to have a fractured plot between the Waterworld director’s cut and what Costner decided to do with his character. While receiving largely bad reviews upon release, the movie bombed. While it made more than its production budget, Waterworld still took a loss after marketing costs. Its reputation as a flop likely killed any chance of it becoming a franchise, but set up the Waterworld “Ulysses Cut.”
What Is The Waterworld Ulysses Cut?
The theatrical cut of Kevin Costner’s Waterworld runs at 135 minutes, but a later ABC TV cut added another 40 minutes. They added a lot more depth to the story and characters, and while it could be argued these additions slowed the pace, it did make the movie a more involving experience. Since it was edited for television, the violence and bad language had to be trimmed, so fans decided to edit together a more complete version that was eventually dubbed the Waterworld “Ulysses Cut.” This merged the theatrical and TV edits, making the most complete and uncut version of Waterworld there is.
This Waterworld “Ulysses Cut” edit was passed along in fan circles for many years before it got an official release as part of an Arrow Blu-ray special edition in 2019, which runs for 171 minutes. The question of if it elevates Waterworld to a great movie is a tricky one. Viewers have gradually come around to the charms of the original version, appreciating its ambitious scale, world-building, and Dennis Hopper’s delightfully manic villain performance. However, there are also dedicated fans who love the mythical world-building of the Waterworld director’s cut, as re-edited by fans.
Which Waterworld Version Is Better?
While Waterworld still has a reputation as a bomb, it has slowly built a cult among those willing to give it a second look. The Waterworld “Ulysses Cut” delivers more of the story, greatly fleshing out how the world functions and restoring key deletions, like the land the survivors discover at the end turning out to be the summit of Mount Everest. It also remains something of a marvel for the unsympathetic Mariner, as played by Kevin Costner, a loner who can breathe underwater thanks to gills in his neck.
The character is only looking out for himself for the majority of the movie and treats his very reluctant passengers poorly for the first half, including the young girl Enola. The Mariner does redeem himself by the end, but it’s doubtful a studio would allow for such a miserable hero in most action movies. The Waterworld “Ulysses Cut” falls short of being a great movie, but it is a very entertaining one. It’s a steampunk western filled with imagination and creative lore. Those willing to ignore the movie’s unearned critical drubbing will find lots to dive into.
When it comes to which version of Waterworld is better, that all comes down to personal taste. When it comes to the original version of the movie, there were a lot of things that happened just to move the story with little reason, and that choppy narrative system was fixed in both the ABC Waterworld director’s cut and the subsequent Waterworld “Ulysses Cut.” While those latter versions are much longer, and checking in at three hours might be a lot for this movie, it remains a more satisfying tale and a more coherent story, making them preferable. In the end, the Waterworld “Ulysses Cut” is better, thanks to a better story and a lack of censorship.
