Is it one of my favorite movies? No. Is it one of the greatest movies Hollywood ever made? Yes. Titanic is objectively one of the greatest movies of all time, and it's undeniable.
What works against it are the incredibly long runtime of over 3 hours, which can dredge along on rewatches at the beginning, and the fact that it's a Romance movie, which will likely turn off many male viewers who prefer action, thrillers, and some dramas. So while it's among the best movies of all time, it does have drawbacks for certain audiences.
Titanic excels best in the third and final act, the last hour or so, when they strike the iceberg and just before that as the romance heats up more. There it evolves into an action-packed, heart racing thriller with lots of moving parts. Beyond the unforgettable and realistic spectacle of the sinking ship (which amazingly makes you feel like you are right there), there is still plenty of story left to be told, and no matter how strong you think you are, this movie will pull at even the most stoic person's heartstrings, quite a tearjerker for most people.
It's a true epic. Director Cameron's ambition (the most expensive movie ever made at the time over 200 million in 1997) and commitment to consistency and quality being quite the "movie" experience, Kate Winslet's unforgettable lead performance as Rose (how did she not win the Oscar?; she should have), and the emotional components set in front of the background of one of the most infamous disasters of the 20th century, all factor into making Titanic one of the most groundbreaking and iconic love story movies of all-time.
9/10.
What works against it are the incredibly long runtime of over 3 hours, which can dredge along on rewatches at the beginning, and the fact that it's a Romance movie, which will likely turn off many male viewers who prefer action, thrillers, and some dramas. So while it's among the best movies of all time, it does have drawbacks for certain audiences.
Titanic excels best in the third and final act, the last hour or so, when they strike the iceberg and just before that as the romance heats up more. There it evolves into an action-packed, heart racing thriller with lots of moving parts. Beyond the unforgettable and realistic spectacle of the sinking ship (which amazingly makes you feel like you are right there), there is still plenty of story left to be told, and no matter how strong you think you are, this movie will pull at even the most stoic person's heartstrings, quite a tearjerker for most people.
It's a true epic. Director Cameron's ambition (the most expensive movie ever made at the time over 200 million in 1997) and commitment to consistency and quality being quite the "movie" experience, Kate Winslet's unforgettable lead performance as Rose (how did she not win the Oscar?; she should have), and the emotional components set in front of the background of one of the most infamous disasters of the 20th century, all factor into making Titanic one of the most groundbreaking and iconic love story movies of all-time.
9/10.