Still Stands The Test of Time

Rating: 9/10 (21 October 2004)

I am simply amazed that such a popular, beloved, critically and audience acclaimed film favorite as "Titanic" could sink so unseemly in the minds of so many who shelled out heavy sums of money and lauded it heavily at the time of its tremendous popularity. While "Titanic" is hardly as fresh, riveting, and entertaining as it was when I first viewed it several years ago, it still certainly retains a special distinction in the realm of cinema, at least in my assessment. Perhaps the screenplay is overly blase, full of clichés, and historical blunders, and the spectacle and sheer horror of seeing hundreds plummet to the bottom of the Atlantic is not as harrowing as it seemed in theaters, yet "Titanic" is still a fine, worthy, and sensational cinematic triumph. "Titanic"'s technical aspects: its impeccable mix of sound and visual effects, dramatic and potent musical score (detract the obsolete "My Heart Will Go On"), ingenious costume design, absorbing cinematography, and of course the gorgeous, stupendous design of the ship, still stand well above many efforts in cinematic history today, and are plenty appreciated and admired. The romance between Rose and Jack is perhaps the most cliché and nauseating aspect of the film, which, despite the film's perception as being "extremely overrated" might be "Titanic"'s primary detractor, and that would be fully understandable- if these same critics weren't the ones who rushed to the cinemas to embrace the romance in the film! Overall, "Titanic" is a leviathon of a film: boasting popularity and critical acclaim and some really brilliant cinematic aspects, where it somewhat lacks in the script and the romance. I have probably viewed "Titanic" over 100 times, and though its value and enticement has been compromised through numerous viewings, it still retains a laudable, important distinction as providing both rock-solid entertainment and brilliant cinematic quality, and these features are too complimentary for such a film as "Titanic" to sink through history. ***1/2 out of ****