Sydney Sweeney’s Thriller Surpasses Avatar: Fire and Ash in Critics’ Eyes

As the year draws to a close, the film industry has delivered a twist that few could have predicted. James Cameron’s long-awaited epic, Avatar: Fire and Ash, with its eye-watering budget and grand ambitions, has found itself outpaced on the critics’ charts by a taut psychological drama fronted by Sydney Sweeney. Both productions arrived in cinemas in December, yet their reception from reviewers has painted a rather contrasting picture of what is currently valued in the world of cinema.

Critical Reception: A Tale of Two Releases

On one side stands Avatar: Fire and Ash, a sweeping science fiction spectacle directed by Cameron, released on 19 December 2025, and backed by a budget exceeding $400 million. Despite its scale, the film secured a 70 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In contrast, The Housemaid, a psychological thriller helmed by Paul Feig and released on the very same day, quietly edged ahead with an 80 percent score. The latter’s budget remains undisclosed, but its impact has been felt, suggesting that subtlety and emotional depth can still win over critics, even when pitted against the might of blockbuster filmmaking.

These results highlight a shift in critical taste, with reviewers appearing to favour tightly constructed narratives and compelling performances over sheer visual spectacle. The two films, though sharing a release window, have come to symbolise diverging paths in contemporary cinema.

James Cameron Responds to the Critics

James Cameron, never one to shy away from defending his creative decisions, has addressed the mixed responses to his latest work. The director has stood by his use of high frame rate technology, a choice that has divided opinion since its introduction in Avatar: The Way of Water. In a recent interview, Cameron dismissed the criticism, remarking:

I think $2.3 billion (box office) says you might be wrong on that. Well, that’s the argument from authority, but the argument from artistic people is ‘I happen to like it, and it’s my movie’.

He also expressed concern about the broader state of the industry, noting:

There’s no way to talk about what audiences want without talking about the decline of cinema. The cinematic experience is being supplanted in our cultural discussion by streaming.

Reflecting on the aftermath of the pandemic, Cameron added:

Covid gave cinema a big kick and people moved to a different way of taking in their storytelling. And so, when people go to a cinema they want something so far outside the norm that it’s worth hiring a babysitter for.

His comments suggest a belief that audiences now seek experiences that truly justify a trip to the cinema, rather than settling for the ordinary.

Adapting The Housemaid: A New Ending for the Screen

While Cameron defends his approach to filmmaking, The Housemaid has sparked discussion for a different reason. Director Paul Feig has confirmed that the film’s conclusion will diverge from Freida McFadden’s bestselling novel. At the Los Angeles premiere, Feig explained his fondness for keeping viewers on their toes, stating that he enjoys "screwing with the audience, in a fun way," and credited the studio for maintaining secrecy around the film’s surprises. He acknowledged the popularity of the source material, but noted:

It’s weird though because the book is out; all you have to do is go to the bookstore and you know the twist but we added a new ending, so the people who love the book you get more.

Feig elaborated on the decision, saying:

There’s things that work in the book that are really satisfying, but on the big screen you always want more. No spoilers, but there are relationships I wanted to have a final button on and so we were able to do that.

Sydney Sweeney, who leads the cast, shared her perspective on adapting the novel:

I’m a huge book lover and I read books religiously, so whenever I see a book adaptations on film, you compare. So there were different things that of course we wanted to take from the book and then there were different aspects that Paul wanted to change… But everything else I wanted to really stay true to the book.

Brandon Sklenar, also starring in the film, added:

I wanted to obviously do it justice, but I also wanted to turn certain elements up to 11 and kind of surprise people and give them something they may not expect, even if they had read the book.

With both films now exclusive to cinemas, the debate continues over whether critics are right to reward intimacy and character over scale and spectacle.