James Cameron Slams U.S. Living Conditions Post-Pandemic: 'A Place Where Everybody's at Each Other’s Throats'

James Cameron didn't hold back during a recent appearance on "In Depth with Graham Bensinger."

The Oscar-winning director discussed his decision to relocate to New Zealand, where he not only resides but also spent years filming the “Avatar” saga.

“After the pandemic hit… [New Zealand] had eliminated the virus completely,” Cameron explained, citing this as a key reason for leaving the U.S. “They actually eliminated the virus twice. The third time when it showed up in a mutated form, it broke through. But fortunately, they already had a 98 percent vaccination rate."

"This is why I love New Zealand. People there are, for the most part, sane as opposed to the United States where you had a 62 percent vaccination rate, and that’s going down – going the wrong direction," he continued.

When Bensinger asked about the differences between the two countries, Cameron posed a pointed question: “Are you kidding me? Where would you rather live? A place that actually believes in science and is sane and where people can work together cohesively to a common goal, or a place where everybody’s at each other’s throats, extremely polarized, turning its back on science and basically would be in utter disarray if another pandemic appears?”

While Graham Bensinger acknowledged that the U.S. is “a fantastic place to live,” Cameron responded with skepticism, asking, “Is it?”

Bensinger remarked on the beauty of New Zealand, but Cameron was quick to clarify his priorities: “I’m not there for scenery, I’m there for the sanity.”

Cameron also touched on his journey to New Zealand citizenship, which he revealed was “imminent” during a podcast last year.

He criticized the direction America has taken under Donald Trump, stating: “I see a turn away from everything decent. America doesn’t stand for anything if it doesn’t stand for what it has historically stood for. It becomes a hollow idea, and I think they’re hollowing it out as fast as they can for their own benefit… There’s an innate respect and a demand for respect [here]. Everybody has this kind of equal status in terms of person-hood. And I love that – that’s what I wanted my kids to experience.”

Feeling “safer” in New Zealand, Cameron added: “I certainly feel like I don’t have to read about [Trump] on the front page every single day. And it’s just sickening. There’s something nice about the New Zealand outlets — at least they’ll put it on page three. I just don’t want to see that guy’s face any more on the front page of the paper. It’s inescapable there, it’s like watching a car crash over and over and over."