5 years on, it still enchants and impresses

Rating: 9/10 (11 July 2002)

What can I say about Cameron's "Titanic" that hasn't already been said? I watched it originally against my will, to please my wife, and was blown away. I had been led to expect yet another brit-bashing epic where the wicked aristocrats trample the poor working class - that's how it had been presented to me. Instead I found a film that portrayed clearly, accurately, and, most importantly, with balance, the world of the early twentieth century with its vast contrasts between haves and have-nots.
Many have complained about the score, or about Céline Dion's rendering of the theme song. Personally, I believe that the score was as near perfect as any movie score can be. And if you don't happen to like Céline Dion, well, that's your problem. I was a Céline fan back before she ever learned English, and I still am. I still find her version of "The Heart Will Go On" (minus all the crummy DJ remixes) to be absolutely magical (especially from the top of the Las Vegas Eiffel Tower, looking down on the Bellagio fountain ballet!)
And yes, five years later, the film still enchants and impresses. Every time I watch it, I'm overwhelmed by the incredible attention to detail, the breadth and depth of the screenplay, the amazing special effects. I could wish that Cameron had eliminated the hokey scene with Jack handcuffed to the pipe, but apart from that, there's nothing I would add to, or take away from this movie. If time has jaded your tastes to the point where you can no longer appreciate it, I feel sorry for you. If "maturity" has robbed you of the ability to express your appreciation of it, then shame on you. The "Mona Lisa" is a magnificent work of art, no matter how old it gets, or you get. And so is Cameron's "Titanic."