An epic in every sense of the word.

Rating: 10/10 (2 August 2001)

"Titanic" has a large number of fans that will cheerfully proclaim that it is the best movie ever made, and a large number of detractors who will cheerfully proclaim that is nothing but overrated garbage. I just feel it is a great film. "Titanic" definitely deserved the Best Picture Oscar in 1997 and to describe "Titanic" as overrated garbage and the worst movie ever made says something about that person, that they are ignorant about films or just ignorant and only hate it because it's the highest grossing movie of all time. I admit that when it was becoming that I hated it before even seeing it because I didn't want it to be. Now I have seen it three times (not once in theaters) since it was released, and it still manages to keep me glued to the screen for all three hours.
James Cameron's recreation of the 1912 sinking of the "unsinkable" liner is one of the most magnificent pieces of serious popular entertainment ever to emanate from Hollywood. The gargantuan production cost--estimated at about $200 million--has been spent on sumptuous, stunningly believable sets and visual effects, giving the viewer the feeling of being a passenger on the ill-fated voyage. But the three-hours-plus "Titanic" ultimately succeeds so powerfully in retelling this familiar story because it is an intimate epic with a moving and resonant love story at its core.
The performances by all the cast are outstanding, even the hundreds, possibly thousands of extras. Once again Kate Winslet proves that she is one of the most talented actress of her generation. Her small steps from repressed, snobbish rich girl, to passionate, joyful and full of life, are very subtle, yet we always know that she is changing -- we can feel what she feels. Any actor or actress who can do that is very special indeed. She also manages to pull off a mostly convincing American accent. Leonardo DiCaprio is very good as well, as Jack, the steerage passenger-artist who wins tickets for Titanic at a poker game. His character is always alive, and is the catalyst for Rose's transformation. The chemistry between the two of them is great; their scenes together are special to watch. This all coming from someone who really can't stand Leonardo DiCaprio.
The film does a remarkable job of contrasting the stiff haughtiness of the upper class with the joyful energy of the steerage class. One scene in particular stands out, as Cameron cuts between 1st-class men talking politics in the dining room and 3rd-class passengers having the time of their lives below decks, dancing up a storm. The film's technical aspects are amazing. The sets and costumes look so much like the real thing that the viewer gets a sense of deja-vu (at least those who study the Titanic). The special effects are totally believable. The effects are so good that people might think they are seeing reality, and not effects. They're that good.

The music by James Horner is perfect in all the right places. The script by Cameron is very good, haunting and quite witty. There are dozens of details written into the script, either about the characters or about the ship. All of them point to something down the line. Cameron's script is filled with the most subtle foreshadowing. The only thing that I caught which struck a false note was the fact that Jack always seemed to be on the 1st-class deck, when in fact steerage was not allowed to mingle with the 1st-class. However that is a minor complaint, for the rest of the film is very accurate. Even though the film is three hours long, it seems much shorter; I didn't look at the clock even once during all three viewings. The last hour is a dazzler, both visually and emotionally. I felt myself clinging to the seat hoping the ship would miss that iceberg and choking up about once or twice during the film. And finally, what surprises me about the user ratings is that compared to any other film in the IMDb top 250 this film compares in the number of twos through tens, it just has so many unfair ones (almost as many as the number of nines) that it is kept from being in the IMDb top 250 and really makes you wonder.
Rating: 10/10