James Cameron has been one of the most celebrated and influential directors of cinema. Not only has he made films that have become popular to different generations of audiences, but some of them have been major box office hits (three of them are billion-dollar grossers).
This week, he is back on the big screen with the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third installment in the epic science-fiction saga. It is expected to be another immersive and bigger-scale film that is worthy of seeing on the big screen.
To celebrate the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash, here is our ranking of every movie that Cameron directed.
(NOTE: We're not including Piranha II: The Spawning since Cameron has notoriously disowned it despite being credited as the director.)
8. The Abyss
The Abyss follows a civilian diving team that is enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and faces danger while encountering an alien aquatic species.
While this might be ranked last in this list, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's bad or that it's the "worst" movie that Cameron has ever worked on. There's still a lot of awe and wonder in this film, due to its exploration of the underwater world that we don't usually see in the science-fiction genre, and innovative VFX at that time.
Where You Can Stream: Disney+
7. Avatar
Avatar follows a paraplegic Marine who was dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission and becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.
The film's low ranking is also not reflective of its quality. There's no doubt that this film was groundbreaking when it was released in 2009 due to its stunning visual effects and world-building that only a filmmaker like Cameron can successfully pull off on this magnitude.
Where You Can Stream: Disney+
6. The Terminator
The Terminator follows a cyborg assassin from the future who attempts to find and kill a young woman who is destined to give birth to a warrior who will lead a resistance to save humankind from extinction.
This is the film that launched Cameron's career and a new franchise that has influenced many fans and creatives for decades to come. Today, this is now also seen as a warning of what humanity might face in the future with the rise of artificial intelligence.
Where You Can Stream: Netflix, MGM+
5. Avatar: The Way of Water
Avatar: The Way of Water follows Jake Sully and his newfound family formed on the extrasolar moon Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na'vi race to protect their home.
The film expanded the world of Pandora with more stunning visual effects through the introduction of the water tribe and a jaw-dropping underwater world. Its third act contains some of the best action set pieces that Cameron has ever done in his career.
Where You Can Stream: Disney+
4. True Lies
True Lies follows a fearless, globe-trotting, terrorist-battling secret agent who has his life turned upside down when he discovers his wife might be having an affair with a used-car salesman while terrorists smuggle nuclear warheads into the United States.
The film has become a classic in the action comedy genre due to its entertaining quality, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis' chemistry, and elements that we love in a blockbuster movie.
Where You Can Buy or Rent: Apple TV, Amazon Video, Fandango at Home
3. Aliens
In Aliens, decades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.
It's always tough to pull off a sequel to a classic, but somehow, Cameron managed to make a follow-up that is on the same level (or arguably better) than the first. Not only did it expand the lore of the Xenomorph, but it featured some of the best action sequences that you'll ever see in cinema.
Where You Can Stream: Hulu
2. Titanic
Titanic follows a seventeen-year-old aristocrat who falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.
Needless to say, the film was massively popular when it was released, as it became the first one to cross the billion-dollar mark at the box office and a pop culture sensation worldwide. To this day, it is still one of the most quoted, rewatched, and beloved films across many generations of fans.
Where You Can Stream: Netflix, Paramount+
1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Terminator 2: Judgment Day follows a cyborg from the future, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, who must now protect her ten-year-old son, John, from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg.
This has all the elements that people love in a Cameron movie: great action set pieces, iconic lines, memorable characters, emotional moments, and immersive storytelling. This is another terrific sequel from his filmography that has become a classic and influential to many directors today.
Where You Can Stream: Netflix, Paramount+
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