If there is a filmmaker who has left his mark (and still leaves his mark) and will remain in the history of the 7th art, it is James Cameron. The director is behind many cult films such as Terminator, Aliens, Titanic or most recently the project of his life: Avatar. However, although he is a big name in cinema, Cameron does not escape criticism, particularly concerning his dialogues. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Terminator, the American director wanted to give a cash response to his detractors.
James Cameron celebrates 40 years of Terminator
It was in 1984 that the public discovered Arnold Schwarzenegger with his iconic leather jacket looking for Sarah Connor in the cult film Terminator. This film, which is a reference in the world of science fiction, is thanks to James Cameron. This year marks the 40th anniversary of this feature filmand on this occasion, its director gave an interview to the American media Empire.
During this interview, James Cameron returned to this production:
I don't see it as a Holy Grail, that's for sure. When I watch it again today, several parts are quite embarrassing and on others I say to myself: 'we did quite well for the means we had'.
The director of Avatar responds cash to cash his detractors
Then, the director of Titanic wanted respond to his detractors who often criticize him on the quality of the dialogues in his films. It is clear that the director does not mince his words and has decided to provide a more than cash response:
Show me your films among the four most profitable, then we can discuss the effectiveness of the dialogues.
Cameron is referring here to the criticism he has had to deal with and the box office performance of his productions. It is interesting to note that the Canadian director has three films in the Top 5 of the highest-grossing films in the history of cinema with Avatar at the top, Avatar: The Way of Water in 3rd place and finally Titanic on the 4th step. He therefore believes that despite the criticism, his feature films continue to dominate the global cinema success charts. Even though his dialogues are considered “annoying“, the public has still adopted his films and made them hits.
As a reminder, this is not the first time that James Cameron has responded to his detractors. In 2022, the director responded to criticism of the length of Avatar: The Way of Water:
I don't want anyone to complain about the length of the movie when they're going to sit down and watch [TV] for eight hours… I've seen my kids sit down and watch five one-hour episodes in a row. Here's the big mindset shift that needs to happen: It's okay to get up and go pee.
Avatar: Fire and Ash is expected in theaters on December 19, 2025.