Cameron never gets shit from me, except about avatar.
The man created the iconic terminator and terminator 2. He showed a sequel can be different than the original but still just as great in it's own way with aliens. He showed us really good scifi in the abyss. He mixed comedy and action really well with true lies. He can do low budget horror and make it watchable with piranha 2. And while I didnt like titanic you can't deny its impact. And he has his whole career pushed special effects in big ways. And while he isn't quite as unique as say brian de Palma but his camera usage is incredibly solid. And from a technical standpoint far as movies are concerned he is a master.
My only complaint of him is avatar. Aside from the cool yet gimmick 3d effects it had nothing. No originality since it was basically just dances with wolves, but all the characters felt uninspired and very flat and boring except sigourney weaver, she was cool. It all just felt so needless and uninteresting.
But yeah the abyss is a great movie. It's just a shame no one could get out of Michael biehn what cameron could because I like him a lot but he never shines in anyone else's movies. Kind of like Michael Madsen, I dont care for him unless he is in a tarantino movie.
I really wish cameron would go back and do a director's approved 4k release of his older movies.