A true cinematic epic.

Rating: 9/10 (13 September 2012)

A film of such incredible proportions is a rarity in cinema. 'Titanic,' was recently re-released on Blu-Ray, and I took the opportunity to watch the film for the first time in over a decade. I was 8 years old when I last saw this film, something which probably contributed to my opinion that the film was over-long, soppy and incredibly dull. How wrong I was.
'Titanic,' is epic cinema at its finest. So many aspects of the film are truly wonderful, the scale, the performances and the design to name a few. James Cameron has repeatedly cemented himself as one of the most talented directors in Hollywood, managing to craft gargantuan products with colossal budgets and still maintain a wonderful human emotion to his works. Though the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 serves as the basis for this film, the true meat of it is a love story between two young people from polar opposite ends of society; Jack Dawson, played by a boyish Leonardo DiCaprio, a lower class drifter with a gift for art, and Rose, a higher class young woman trapped in the confines of a loveless engagement, portrayed by a fresh-faced Kate Winslet. Over the course of 3 hours and 14 minutes their love story plays out among the hundreds of stories of that fateful voyage that tragically killed so many.
The true wonder of 'Titanic,' is its sheer scale. The film was originally released in 1997, yet the production dwarfs that of most large scale films of today's Hollywood. The costume design and set production is absolutely staggering, truly worthy of the Oscars the design and production won. The special effects are also worth praising, especially considering that the film is now 15 years old. However, with the transition to Blu-Ray, and the clarity that the image receives because of the transfer, some of the effects are unfortunately rather obvious, though this does nothing to detract from the overall experience. The sound design is also excellent, particular praise reserved for the score. There is an almost Enya-like quality to the score, gentle and mellow yet rousing in all the correct places.
The performances are all excellent. DiCaprio and Winslet both carry the production on their young shoulders, and do so with aplomb. Their chemistry is impressive, and both actors are pleasant and likable. Billy Zane, as Rose's arrogant fiancé, is suitably horrid and despicable, and Zane gives probably the best performance of his career. All roles are performed well, including Kathy Bates as a 'new-money,' socialite and Bernard Hill as the captain of the doomed voyage.
There are so many moments from this film that are frequently quoted and fondly remembered, and there's a reason. 'Titanic,' is an incredible experience, and well worth picking up on Blu-Ray. I'm certainly glad I did.