Good family entertainment.

Rating: 9/10 (12 October 1999)

What do Titanic and 'Independence Day' have in common? They have both been roundly derided for their technical/acting/story line when both films can stand alone for sheer entertainment. What is it about this film that makes three hours in a cinema pass so quickly? It's not the suspense of not knowing what will happen next, after all history tells us in graphic detail the fate of Titanic. Neither is it What happens to Rose, I mean the mere fact that Rose tells the story as a hundred and one year old woman tells us that she survives. So what is it about this film that makes it so enjoyable? Well it's five things really: (1) The romance between Rose (Kate Winslet) and Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio). (2) Does Jack survive? (3) The gradual realisation of the fate of Titanic and how it takes place (told with historical accuracy). (4) The remarkably accurate detail of the ships whole interior. (5) the special effects used during the sinking. All in all forget about the films supposed lack of technical excellence, poor storyline and trite dialogue and concentrate instead on the splendid entertainment on offer thanks to James Cameron's splendid direction, the superb cinematography and the excellence of the two leads.