a weak, but at times truly incredible movie (a slight spoiler)

Rating: Null/10 (15 March 2004)

Titanic is the sort of movie that you cannot critisize without mentioning its good parts, and cannot praise without recalling its dire ones. in many ways, it is very reminiscent of the old-style Hollywood romances- epic in length, enourmous in budget and popularity, weak in the eyes of some of its more critical viewers, and, fast destined for a high place in the most famous films of all time.
Rose (Kate Winslet), a young, beautiful, upperclass and miserable passenger on the famously 'Unsinkable ship' (perhaps at this moment it would be good to point out that infact, contrary to popular belief, titanic was never in reality marketted as "the unsinkable ship"... ahem, however) is disullsioned with life. Bearing this in mind, she makes a trip one evening to the stern (i think?) of the Titanic, climbs the railings, and prepares to jump into the freezing cold waters of the ocean below. As she prepares herself to jump, she is spotted by the equally young and beautiful, yet poor and freespirited artist Jack (leonardo Dicaprio), who manages to persuade her not to jump. And thus begins a beautiful friendship between the two- much to the distress and dissaproval of Rose's friends and family. Suprise, suprise, the relationship soon develops into sometihng more, and they become lovers. Just as their passionate love affair reaches steamy heights, the two become caught up, inevitably in the ship's sinking, and one of the greatest distaster sequences ever, ever filmed commences in the film's last hour: full of horror, tragedy, and terrible reality. The first two hours, driven by, concentrated on, and revolving around the romantic love affair between Rose and Jack, are clunking and thin. The script, while perhaps not dire, is certainly no masterpiece (written by the director, James Cameron) rather too full of cliche and annoyingly unsubtle messages designed perhaps to appeal to Cameron's conception of a modern audience's tastes (Rose, somewhat unconvincingly for the daughter of a conservative, upperclass, english society family, is an avid reader of Freud and waxes lyrical about Piccasso: "It's like looking into a dream or something. there's truth but no logic.")
this is perhaps too hard. some moments in these first two hours are lovely. I know that I might sound like a jackass for saying so, but in one of the truly iconic moments of romantic beauty that this movie, or indeed, any movie has to offer, what young girl was not lifted out of her cinema seat by that soaring, beautiful shot of the lovers at the ship's helm (i think? lol) at sunset? Dicaprio, a vastly underrated actor (and this movie might have something to do with that) as the inspired and inspirational young free spirit is at his most beautiful, boyish best, and manages to inject energy and charisma into a character who is sadly lacking in depth. (don't get me wrong, i loved him in this movie- being the hopeless romantic/ teenage girl i am....!) Winslet, another wonderful actress, is doing her best in her own role, but this is a more tricky one to make work: Rose is a character that makes a transition- from buttoned up, serious, posh "spoilt brat", as Jack names her, to impulsive, adventurous and sexually liberated young rebel chick. there is nothing wrong with this, of course, but the fact that even if we want to applaud her, we find her character extremely difficult to warm to, let alone grow to like or love. this has, however, probably never been a hinderance to what turned out to be definately a teen girl's movie- who was concentrating on Kate when we have Leo to look at? Other major characters include Rose's angry, idiotic, and completely villainous fiancee, Cal, who is determined to control Rose, in a way written to make any self respecting feminist's sight turn red with rage. Billy Zane plays the role in what i think is irony and humour, but the character is so poorly constructed, that even if this is so, his turn is far too broad and characturish, rather than a real performance of any kind. Also, there is Rose's mother (i'm not sure of the actress's name) another shameful steriotype (after watching this, i soon seriously started doubting if james Cameron's writing skills could ever possibly extend beyond borrowing a tragic historic event and placing a collection of cliches to bounce and react off one another in a ridiculous way) this time, of the cold, distant, and selfish mother, with little thought or feeling for others, and who is mainly motivated by money and rich husbands.
(it's no wonder Rose was about to commit suicide, when placed in such company)
However, this movie truly comes into it's own in when, as I mentioned, events reach their penultimate, inevitable conclusion, and that fateful night that the titanic collided with the Iceberg. In a gripping, heart wrenching hour long sequence, the love story finally takes back seat, and Cameron paints a portrait of the Titanic's last few hours above water. Indeed, this movie is well, well, WELL worth watching if only for this ending. I have never met someone who wasn't movied to tears by this film... however, i don't think i've ever met someone who was moved to tears by the love story's tragic conclusion. The fact that the enormity, horror and tragedy of the Titanic's sinking actually took place capsizes (forgive the allusion) the love story, which now more than ever feels synthetic, fake and trivial.
No, the tears I shed for this film were for the musicians who played "Nearer my God to Thee" as the ship sank. My tears were for the Irish thirdclass woman and her two children, as she tucks them into bed for the last time, becuase she knows there are no life boats for them. my tears were for the old couple who lie in bed, together, peaceful, and ready for death. it is in these scenes that the film displays incredible, beautiful and tragic humanity and greatness.