Critics have responded warmly to Paul Feig’s thriller, The Housemaid, starring Sydney Sweeney, which is coming out this December. It is a stark contrast to the reviews for James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash. The two films opened in the same week. However, reviewers have given more praise to the smaller movie than to Cameron’s massive film project.
The Housemaid reviews overpowers Avatar Fire & Ash
On many aggregation sites and in several high-profile reviews, The Housemaid, starring Sydney Sweeney, sits ahead of Avatar: Fire & Ash, directed by James Cameron. Those who liked Feig’s film point to a controlled tone, sharp editing, and a central performance that holds the film together. Those who defended Cameron argued that scale still matters to audiences and that blockbuster ambition should be judged differently.
Reviewers praised Sydney Sweeney’s work as The Housemaid’s emotional side. In a field of prestige releases, critics said Sweeney brings clarity and precision. They say it makes the film feel immediate and controlled. The Guardian described the director’s change of direction as a successful pivot into psycho-suspense. They noted the film plays like a tight, 1990s-style thriller but set in a modern world.
Director Paul Feig revealed at the premiere that the film deliberately changes the book’s finale. He said, “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” (via The Hollywood Reporter).
James Cameron reacted strongly to criticism of his technical choices. As he told DiscussingFilm, “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 pointed to wider shifts in the film business, telling The Times that the cinema experience has changed since the pandemic and that audiences now seek events that justify a trip to the theater. He explained, “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.”
Originally reported by Preksha Sharma on Mandatory.
