The Most Loathed Film Of All-Time

Rating: 8/10 (10 July 2006)

I gave this film a bad review on IMDb in 2002. I deleted my review today - mainly because I don't agree with it anymore. In fact, I'm not so sure I totally agreed with it when I wrote it. I felt an obligation to hate this movie because people who like it are typically made fun of. But I have to admit: I _do_ like it.
Yes, the romantic subplot is silly to the extent that Jack would never find himself anywhere near Rose to begin with. But you know what? The romance provides a nice outlet through which to frame the actions of the Titanic's sinking. A three-hour movie about random people on a boat that's going to sink would be a true bore. James Cameron - despite his personal flaws - is a great storyteller and by focusing on characters before heading on to the carnage, he builds a relationship with the viewer. Think of any good historical movie - apart from a few films such as "The Longest Day," most of the time there's a story taking place around the event.
As for "Titanic" - some people will feel offended. Some people will hate the romantic subplot and find the entire thing unbearably hokey. Some people will make fun of Leonardo DiCaprio (although, thankfully, that phase seems to have passed and he now demands more respect as an actor). And some people will just fast-forward to the end so they can see the Titanic sink (and I'm really hoping that wasn't a spoiler for anyone - because if it was, you need to go take a middle school history course again).
The acting isn't bad. Leonardo DiCaprio picked up a lot of misery for his acting here. But he's gone on since to prove, like Johnny Depp, that he's more than just a pretty face. His performances in films such as "The Aviator" and "Catch Me If You Can" echo his early work in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" - he's one of this generation's finest actors. It's no wonder Scorsese enjoys working with him so much. It may almost seem absurd to even make this comparison, but after some of his recent films DiCaprio has struck me as another Robert De Niro: he has the talent and the intelligence. It's a shame the success of "Titanic" pushed him back for a few years.
Kate Winslet, on the other hand, is a nice contrast against DiCaprio, however I didn't totally buy their romance at all times and they're not the best screen couple in cinema history by any means. Meanwhile, in the Villain Department, Billy Zane is, for once, not bald.
If you don't think you'll like it, you probably won't. It's one of those films that people either love or hate. If you didn't like "Braveheart" there's a good chance you'll hate this as well.
If you can watch it with an open mind, however, and accept its romantic angle, you may enjoy it.