8 Best James Cameron Movies, Ranked

Summary

• James Cameron is one of Hollywood's most financially successful directors, creating iconic films like Avatar and Titanic.
• Cameron's films balance engaging action, visual effects, and emotional depth, exploring themes like love and courage.
• From Terminator to Avatar, Cameron's extensive filmography showcases his talent in crafting captivating and meaningful stories.

Among the many accomplished directors in Hollywood, James Cameron is a name that certainly comes to mind as one of the greats. With a career that spans nearly 50 years, Cameron has been responsible for some of the most recognisable and classic films of the 21st century. Not only has he dabbled in the romance genre, but he has also been shown to be a master at visual effects in the making of his epic, sci-fi blockbuster films.

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With the title of second highest-grossing film director under his belt, Cameron is one of the most financially successful directors in Hollywood, and it's no wonder. From immersing you in the absolutely magical world of Avatar's Pandora to the heart-wrenching romance of Titanic, here are some of the best films in James Cameron's extensive filmography.

8 True Lies

1994

A movie made to entertain, True Lies is an action comedy that's more lighthearted compared to Cameron's other films. The movie is chock-full of silly, humorous situations involving a secret agent (played by Schwarzenegger) who is trying to help his wife resolve her midlife crisis while keeping his real job a secret from his loved ones.

Excelling in the comedy aspect of the film, Cameron doesn't disappoint in its action scenes either, which are bolstered by fantastic camerawork. In short, True Lies doesn't take itself seriously and revels in its silliness, which works surprisingly well for them.

7 The Abyss

1989

An underrated sci-fi thriller that deserves more love, The Abyss is a testament to Cameron's creativity and love for the genre. As quickly becomes clear with Cameron's films, the visual effects are top-notch, with compelling performances from Hollywood legends Ed Harris and Michael Beihn and an intriguing storyline to boot.

What starts out as a covert underwater recovery operation soon ventures into the realm of the impossible, when the SEAL team encounters non-terrestrial life forms in the depths of the ocean. Despite encountering alien life, the alien in question isn't hostile at all, instead helping the crew when things don't go to plan. There's a deeper meaning to all of Cameron's on-screen tales, and The Abyss is no exception, exploring themes of cowardice, selfishness, courage, and love.

6 Titanic

1997

One of the most iconic romance films of the past decades, Titanic defined an era with its tear-jerking tale of doomed love aboard the equally doomed ocean liner. It not only spawned Celine Dion's memorable anthem for the film but also netted Cameron the achievement of being the first film in history to net $1 billion globally.

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The movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as the film's most famous couple, Jack and Rose, who fall in love on the Titanic despite being from two vastly different social classes. Cameron does not pull back from depicting the sheer horror of the tragedy of the Titanic itself, along with developing Jack and Rose's short-lived, yet passionate romance in a believable and emotionally impactful manner.

5 Terminator 2: Judgement Day

1991

Due to the massive success of the first Terminator film, Cameron directed and co-wrote the script for its sequel, Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Equally, if not more of a smash hit than the first film, Terminator 2 sustains the strong points of the previous instalment, while injecting the latest special effects to add to the intimidation factor of the Terminator.

Compared to the first film, Terminator 2 sees two cyborgs enter the picture. One cyborg is committed to protecting John Connor, while another cyborg (a more advanced type) is tasked with killing the boy. Sarah, John's mother, is striving to stop 'Judgement Day', which is the day Skynet forms a will of its own and takes over the world. Aside from the Terminator's humorous catchphrases, the film balances its fast-paced action with thought-provoking themes and heartfelt moments.

4 The Terminator

1984

Cameron's 1984 hit, The Terminator, helped put his name on the map as well as garner attention for his talents. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the enigmatic cyborg Terminator, the movie has since influenced other action blockbusters over the years. Not only does it have a strong narrative, but it keeps you at the edge of your seat with adrenaline-rushing chase scenes and fight sequences.

The movie's premise follows a cyborg called the Terminator, who hails from a dystopian future in 2029 ruled by an AI called Skynet, and travels back in time to 1984 with the sole purpose of killing Sarah Connor, as Sarah will give birth to the leader of a resistance group. Despite appearing to be a simple, straightforward action film, The Terminator defies expectations by being ahead of its time, as well as incorporating Cameron's subtle commentary on the frightening progress of technology.

3 Aliens

1986

1986's Aliens is the sequel to Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi horror, Alien, and is one of the most successful and memorable instalments in the franchise, praised for its top-notch performances and intense action sequences. The film sees the return of Sigourney Weaver as the iconic Ellen Ripley and directly follows the disastrous events aboard the Nostromo.

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Still deeply affected by what has happened to her fellow crewmates, Ripley is forced to return to action on the orders of her employers and sent to a colony discovered to be nearly exterminated by the xenomorphs. Things quickly spiral out of control as the new ship's crew are quickly mowed down by the aliens, with Ripley thrown into another deadly struggle for survival as well as keeping the colony's sole survivor alive.

2 Avatar: The Way Of The Water

2022

A sequel that took 13 years to develop, Avatar: The Way of the Water follows the success of the franchise's first film, achieving the third-highest-grossing film after garnering $2.30 billion at the box office. Cameron ups the ante for this film, apparently requiring new technological breakthroughs in motion capture to be made to achieve the vision he has for the movie.

Following the events of the 2009 film, the stakes are higher as the humans are not keen on backing down. At this point, Jake and Neytiri have been married for several years and are raising their four children together. Jake leads the fight against the humans but is forced to take his family away to protect the remnants of the Omatikaya clan.

They find refuge with the Metyakina clan, who eke out a living near the oceans. The Way of the Water sees an old villain from the first film return, Colonel Quaritch, as well as further showcasing the beautiful world of Pandora, and the potential of exploring different tribes and cultures in its upcoming 2025 instalment.

1 Avatar

2009

In what's most likely to be Cameron's magnum opus, 2009's Avatar is a sci-fi epic that has since successfully kickstarted a billion-dollar franchise and is the first-ever film to gross $2 billion worldwide. With a star-studded cast that includes the likes of Sigourney Weaver and Zoe Saldaña, the movie is not only applauded for its spectacular visual effects and imaginative new environments, but also for its impactful story themes and a gorgeous music score by the late great James Horner.

Set in the year 2154, the story takes place on the fictional planet of Pandora, where humanity has essentially begun colonising the planet for the precious new resource, unobtanium, amidst rising tensions with the planet's native inhabitants, the Na'vi, a race of tall, slender, blue-skinned humanoids. The protagonist, Jake Sully, is a disabled Marine who participates in the Avatar Program, which brings someone's consciousness into a lab-made Na'vi-human hybrid called an 'avatar'.

While on an outing, Jake is saved by Neytiri, and he begins to learn the Na'vi way of life from her clan, while gradually growing conflicted over his people's exploitation of her people and world. Avatar is a heartfelt story of love and compassion, exploring themes of respecting and living with nature rather than trying to conquer it.

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