General Review

Rating: Null/10 (15 May 2003)

A `Titan' of a Movie History does provide Hollywood with some of the best story lines. The story of the tragic sinking of the so-called `Ship of Dreams', the infamous Titanic, has touched people's hearts throughout the century. This is a perfect plot for a fantastic movie. Thanks to a little Hollywood magic, we can experience for ourselves the horror and drama of the fateful ocean journey of the Titanic. Titanic is one of the great movies of the last decade. It was a success from the time it hit cinemas, amazing audiences around the world. And why wouldn't it? This marvelous movie has great actors, an incredible set and costumes, and, of course, a historically accurate plot, that is going to be remembered for years to come. In addition to telling of the fate of the Titanic, this movie also captivates audiences with the dramatic love story of Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet), two passengers aboard the `unsinkable' ship. DiCaprio plays a poor third class passenger who falls in love with the beautiful, but engaged, first class passenger, Winslet. Between chases and dramatic rescue acts, these two actors awe audiences with their charm and tenderness in the many love scenes. One of the most famous scenes of the movie, the parting of the two lovers after the sinking of the Titanic, is guaranteed to make hearts wrench and eyes shed tears. But this is not the only scene that truly moves viewers. Though the general theme of the movie, the sinking of the Titanic, is often ignored due to the captivating acting, it is, after all, what makes the movie special. The sinking was tragic, but what was really touching were the different scenes of the passengers of the Titanic right before it sank. James Cameron didn't skip anyone. He shows us all the people that are mentioned in history books, including Mr. Guggenheim and Mr. and Mrs. Strauss. These people's last moments on earth are almost as dramatic than those of the two lovers, Jack and Rose. From an historical point of view, all classes aboard the ship are represented with attention to detail, such as costume, dialogue, and their particular activities. Of course the costumes of the first class passengers are heavenly. They represent the style of 1912 perfectly, including the accessories such as hats, purses, cigarettes (which make many appearances throughout the movie), and jewelry. But the third class is also represented well, through costume but mainly through acting. There are many `foreigners' in these classes, just like 91 years ago on the Titanic. Small details and scenes in the movie make it so memorable. The saddest part, according to my own opinion, is the faithfulness of the musicians, who continued playing their instruments while chaos and panic erupted around them. The movie, however, would not have been such a great success without the incredible set. Throughout the entire movie you never get the feeling that the ship was not the actual Titanic sailing the Atlantic Ocean. Not only does the ship itself seem to be authentic, but also all the accessories such as chairs, china, beds, and more. Even the famous grand staircase is recreated to look like the original. The audience is bound to feel like they are dining and sharing in the lives of people of the 1910's.
With a fabulous set, convincing actors, and a tragic and captivating plot, Titanic is a Titan of a movie, as close to historically accurate as you could possibly get, that is well liked by all who are willing to share in history's amazing stories.
Rating: 5 out of 5