Titanic
Titanic
Titanic -
Overview
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Brief Review
Winner of 11 Academy Awards, Titanic is the masterpiece from James Cameron which has captured the imagination of millions. With star performances from Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet who gel well together, they effortlessly help to bring Titanic back to life with a harrowing tale of romance, disaster and action. A must see for anyone who's remotely interested in seeing a world class film.
Full Review
A Night To Remember failed to capture the true emotion felt from the disaster in 1912 and consequently was an average film all round. Cue James Cameron who delivers a story worthy of being called world class. This fresh take on the historic vessel and the tragedy it eventually succumbs to is well executed via the tale of romance.
The story of Titanic is one heard a thousand times before but somehow James Cameron manages to make it fresh and new. The story follows the lives of two people, Rose and Jack, and their doomed forbidden romance. It plays out very much like a modern Romeo and Juliet minus the bickering rival families and it works perfectly here.
As mentioned before, the story is one heard a thousand times before but the romance is the one thing that keeps the attention for the duration of the film. On top of this, the complication of the class system (Rose being first class, Jack being third class) really helps to drive the film forward and hammer home the prejudiced nature of the time.
Rose and Jack really steal the show here with their blossoming romance which builds well and realistically without ever seeming rushed or forced. The two actors bounce off each other well and are extremely likeable, which only helps to emphasise the desperation felt when things all start to fall apart.
The rest of the cast do well to portray the characters of that time including the humorous Molly Brown, played by Kathy Bane, and the conniving Cal Hockley, played by Billy Zane. The characters are memorable and the latter is deliciously evil throughout the film.
The contrast in class between first and third is so well done it almost works as a parallel film within itself. The constantly shifting emphasis from first to third is interesting to watch and gives a wider perspective on the standard of living in that time. Not only that, it gives Cameron a chance to work on the details for both classes. The attention to detail is one of the best I've seen in any film and hats off to James for replicating the conditions of the time.
Overall, Titanic is a brilliant film with a romance intertwined with the disaster of the doomed vessel. The new emphasis works better than A Night To Remember and Leo and Kate are excellent in their roles and stand out. The whole film is a master class in story telling and how to produce a natural romance without forcing it. The 3 hour film might be a bit long for some but with a film this good, the time will fly by.