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James Cameron is undoubtedly one of the most influencial filmmakers of our time. With a penchant for creating some of the most visually enthralling films over the last few decades, he has cemented his position in history as one of the most successful and visionary filmmakers.
A career spanning over 40 years, James Cameron has rolled out some very notable epic science fictions, alongside gripping dramas. He is even responsible for creating some of the most iconic franchises, one of the most epic romances on the silver screen, as well as some of the highest grossing films till date.
James Cameron has even single-handedly been responsible for the advancement of numerous technologies in cinema. From bringing next-gen CGI to developing controlled systems to aid filming in diverse conditions and standardizing 3D technology in movies, he has been the herald of innovation in the industry.
This article lists out seven of James Cameron's most iconic films and ranks them in ascending order of influence and popularity, also taking into account how they have stood up to the test of time.
The Terminator, Titanic, and 5 other James Cameron films ranked
7) The Abyss
The Abyss was a sci-fi mystery adventure from the house of 20th Century Fox that was released in 1989. James Cameron wrote and directed the film with Gale Anne Hurd handling production and Mikael Salomon as the cinematographer. The film got four nominations at the 1989 Oscars and won under the 'Best Visual Effects' category.
The cast list featured Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester, Todd Graff, and others in pivotal roles. The film received a generally positive response from critics and audiences, for Cameron's vision, some of the best visual effects of its time and the thrilling plot.
The official synopsis for the film reads as follows:
"A civilian oil rig crew is recruited to conduct a search and rescue effort when a nuclear submarine mysteriously sinks. One diver soon finds himself on a spectacular odyssey 25,000 feet below the ocean's surface where he confronts a mysterious force that has the power to change the world or destroy it."
6) Aliens
Aliens was a sci-fi action horror from the house of 20th Century Fox. James Cameron wrote and directed the film as a sequel to the 1979 film by Ridley Scott, Alien, rolling off a very prominent sci-fi horror movie franchise which has till date released eight films with a new title set to arrive in 2024.
The film starred Sigourney Weaver playing the lead character alongside Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henrikson, Bill Paxton, and others in supporting roles. The film was a huge box-office success, grossing close to $150 million worldwide on a budget of $18.5 million.
The official synopsis for the film as hosted on 20th Century Studio's website reads as follows:
"Fifty-seven years after surviving an apocalyptic attack aboard her space vessel by merciless space creatures, Officer Ripley awakens from hyper-sleep and tries to warn anyone who will listen about the predators. Although she is ignored at first, when contact with colonists on a planet thought safe is suddenly lost, Ripley and a military team are sent to confront the aliens."
5) True Lies
True Lies was an action comedy offering from the house of 20th Century Fox that released in 1994. James Cameron directed the film and wrote the screenplay, which was actually inspired from the 1991 French spy comedy by Claude Zidi, La Totale! The film turned out to be a huge success, justifying its record-breaking budget of $100 million with a worldwide revenue of over $378 million.
The film starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis in the lead roles alongside Tom Arnold, Eliza Dushku, Bill Paxton, Tia Carrere, Art Malik and others in pivotal roles. It also received multiple prestigious accolades, including a Saturn for James Cameron and a Golden Globe for Jamie Lee Curtis.
The synopsis for True Lies as found on its official DVD Box set reads as follows:
"Secret agent Harry Tasker is a busy man; when he's not saving the world from terrorists, he's under cover as a boring computer salesman, juggling the everyday needs of his wife, Helen, and his daughter."
The synopsis continues:
"While Harry and his partner, Gib, work to stop a gang of international terrorists from getting their hands on missing nuclear weapons, Helen, feeling neglected, begins a covert affair with a sleazy used car salesman pretending to be a spy. When Harry finds out, he decides to give Helen a lesson in spy games, which backfires when the couple is kidnapped and stuck in the middle of an international terrorist crisis."
4) The Terminator
The Terminator was a sci-fi action film from the house of Orion Pictures. A brainchild of James Cameron, the film was written and directed by him based off a fever-induced hallucination he had. Released in 1984, the film was a huge success and proved to be the breakthrough film for both Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The film starred the latter in the titular role alongside Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield, Lance Henriksen, and others in pivotal roles. The extreme success of the film spawned off the franchise which has till date earned over $3 billion across 6 films and other ventures.
The official synopsis for the film reads as follows:
"In the Year of Darkness, 2029, the rulers of this planet devised the ultimate plan. They would reshape the Future by changing the Past. The plan required something that felt no pity. No pain. No fear. Something unstoppable. They created ‘THE TERMINATOR’."
3) Avatar
Avatar is an epic sci-fi fantasy film from the house of 20th Century Studios. Written and directed by James Cameron, it released in 2009 to become a landmark film in the industry because of its game-changing visuals and integration of state-of-the-art technology.
The cast featured Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore and others in pivotal roles. With an overall earning of almost $3 million worldwide till date, Avatar is the highest grossing movie of all time. The film also released a sequel in 2022, with multiple other installments set to release over the next few years.
The official synopsis for Avatar reads as follows:
"...set in the year 2154, in which former Marine Jake Sully is recruited for a mission on Pandora, a distant moon where a corporate consortium is mining a rare mineral that is key to solving Earth’s energy crisis. To exist on Pandora, Jake must be reborn as an avatar, a remotely controlled biological body that can survive in the lethal air."
It continues:
"After Neytiri, a female member of the Na’vi, the indigenous clan he was sent to infiltrate, saves Jake’s life, he finds himself drawn to the Na’vi’s ways. Soon, Jake becomes embroiled in a clash of civilizations and faces the ultimate test in a monumental battle that will decide the fate of an entire world."
2) Terminator 2: Judgement Day
Terminator 2: Judgement Day is a sci-fi action film from the house of Tri-Star Pictures. James Cameron directed the film while writing the screenplay alongside William Wisher. The film released as a direct sequel to his 1984 film, officially kicking off the franchise.
The film starred Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, and Edward Furlong in pivotal roles. It is widely accepted as one of the best action films of all time, which even proved that sequels could be as good or even better than the original film.
The official synopsis for the film reads as follows:
"It has been 10 years since the events of Terminator. Sarah Connor’s ordeal is only just beginning as she struggles to protect her son John, the future leader of the human resistance against the machines, from a new Terminator, sent back in time to eliminate John Connor while he’s still a child."
It continues:
"Sarah and John don’t have to face this terrifying threat alone however. The human resistance have managed to send them an ally, a warrior from the future ordered to protect John Connor at any cost. The battle for tomorrow has begun…"
1) Titanic
Titanic is an epic disaster-romance period film from the house of Paramount Pictures. Arguably James Cameron's most notable creation till date, the film was written, directed, co-produced and co-edited by Cameron himself. It turned out to be a huge success, winning a record 11 Academy Awards. Till date, the film has also amassed over $2 billion worldwide.
The film starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in the lead roles alongside Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Bill Paxton, Victor Garber, and others in supporting roles.
The official synopsis for the film reads as follows:
"Leonardo DiCaprio and Oscar-nominatee Kate Winslet light up the screen as Jack and Rose, the young lovers who find one another on the maiden voyage of the "unsinkable" R.M.S. Titanic. But when the doomed luxury liner collides with an iceberg in the frigid North Atlantic, their passionate love affair becomes a thrilling race for survival."
This was our list of James Cameron's top seven films, ranked from the worst to the best. And in case you don't agree with our ranking, be sure to leave a comment down below telling us how you'd rank them instead and why.
If you are a fan of James Cameron's work and love to witness his groundbreaking vision in films, then be sure to catch these titles.
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