The release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens last Christmas was one of the most anticipated events of the season, and naturally everyone had an opinion. From Twitter misanthropes to awestruck fan site die-hards, all four corners of the internet were buzzing with approval or disappointment.

But what do us little people really know about what makes a good film? Avatar and Titanic director and all-around movie god James Cameron has weighed into the debate with a tepid opinion of J.J. Abrams’ controversial plot decision; that is, to not have a controversial plot. In an interview which recently surfaced online, Cameron characterized Abrams’ decision to stick to the plot structure of A New Hope as “baby steps,” explaining that it was a “retrenchment of things you had seen before,” instead of taking advantage of the franchise’s legacy for innovation.

Actually, J.J. Abrams might not completely disagree with that point. In an interview on THR’s Awards Chatter podcast in January, Abrams responded to dispirited critics by claiming The Force Awakens was going “backwards to go forwards,” explaining how his vision of embracing the history of the previous movies was a way to introduce brand new characters and build relationships in the way we already knew and loved.

Cameron concluded his interview by asserting that he still wants to “see where they go with” Episode VIII, despite his feelings on Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It’s scheduled for release in December 2017. So do the rest of us.

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