Titanic

Cast: Leonardo Dipcario, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Francis Fisher and Gloria Stuart.

Director: James Cameron

Release Date: 1997

Running Time: 3hrs 14 minutes

Genre: Drama

Rating: 12

Format: Netflix UK

Synopsis:

Director James Cameron, allows audiences to be thrashed into the Titanic, in this incredible film adaption about the unsinkable ship, which sank on April 14th, 1912! 

Nothing could prepare the world for what would happen on April 12th 1912. At 11:40pm, the Titanic tragically collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic, ripping a hole in her hull. Sadly at 2:20am the Titanic sank. There have been many conspiracy theories over the years in regards to what actually made the ship sink. In new evidence it has been confirmed that a fire started on board the ship before it even left Southampton. Some believe this to mean that the hull was damaged when the ship set sail for New York, allowing the iceberg to do more damage then normal. Other myths have included that the ship was carrying a gold bullion, that she sank due to the curse of an Egyptian mummy that was being carried in the cargo to be escorted to the British Museum and that she was sabotaged by Catholic extremists who were thought to be resentful of her makers. None of these are true.

The storyline is only loosely based on the true event. Most of the relationships between characters are fictitious. Rose Dewitt Bukater (Winslet) is being forced into marriage with Cal Hockley because her mother and herself have had financial strain thrust upon them. Ruth believes marrying into money will save their family and their name. Rose, however has eyes for someone else on board, an artist, Jack Dawson (Dicaprio) who rescues her one night when she attempts to commit suicide. The story primarily focuses on their relationship as well as the devastating event that takes place. Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio deliver tremendous performances and show real chemistry on screen together.

Although the film focuses naturally on the sinking of the ship, James Cameron made a point to focus on the relationship of the characters too. Rose walking further and further away from her fiance Cal when she finds love in Jack. Cal doing everything he can to persuade her otherwise. The strained relationship between Molly Brown and Rose's mother Ruth Dewitt Bukater. The fact that despite the ship sinking the crew were still willing to lock up a man they believe committed a crime. Is it understood that this is what would have truly happened during the circumstances? The terrifying truth that they had an hour to evacuate 2,200 people from the ship to safety in lifeboats. One of which they did not have enough of.

Breathtaking cinematography by Director of Photography Russell Carpenter. Although the production design is gorgeous, the stunning interior of the first class cabins, there are however a fair share of factual errors throughout the film. Some are more noticeable than others. The most noticeable of that when Rose and Jack run through the boiler room, both come out completely unmarked, how is it that the boiler workers are covered in soot? A beautiful score by the late James Horner tells an emotional story on it's own. Violinists that were willing to play music to entertain passengers right up the moment the ship sank, the emotion that must have been going through their minds is astronomical.

Composer James Horner delivers so much emotion through his score its really quite incredible. It starts off fantastically uplifting, the ship set sails, heading for New York. As the ship begins to sink, the emotion in the music really begins to change, at times is truly heartbreaking, understanding that at least half of the people on board aren't going to survive. So much of the story is told through the beauty of Horner's score.

Although the film is historically incorrect at times, James Cameron has delivered a masterpiece that can be watched time and time again.

4.5/5 stars