Titanic (1997)

This film is the reason the phrase 'a mixed bag' exists.

Let's start with the positive things about the film:

The revolutionary special effects are brilliant, and still hold up to this day. The practical effects, the use of models, giant sets, a bijillion tonnes of water are visually very effective; they point and laugh at George Lucas, who just sits and uses a computer to do all of the work for him. The film has an air of realism, an added depth because actors interacted with real objects, real sets and real actors. CG was only used to enhance what was already there, not to make things entirely new that the actors could not see or react to. This was a fantastic choice by the filmmaker, and really elevates the film because it shows the director cared about his movie.

This film is, primarily, an action film. No, really, one of the most well-known romance films is really an action film with romance thrown in here and there. This choice by the creators of the flick really helped the film, as an audience reacts to action. James Cameron squeezed every bit of action out of the sinking of a boat that was physically possible. There is a set-piece involving an ax and handcuffs. In a film about the Titanic! People die from falling off the boat, a man goes crazy with a gun, there is a scene in water that could only be shown in a disaster film involving electricity, and a father and son get killed by oncoming waves. The action in this film is quite spectacular if you really look out to see it.

Audiences emotionally connect with the story because they care about the characters and are emotionally invested in the story because people like class-difference romance stories ([well of course they do, Romeo & Juliet exists] but not the Baz Luhrman version, that film is stupid) and the director was fully aware of this, and took full advantage of it.

The visual image of a little girl being told how to behave driving Rose over the edge is a clear and striking one, however,upon re-viewing the film, it seemed hollow and kinda pathetic.

However, there are some things aboard the film that really are sinkable. Now the bad things about the film:

The framing device was stupid and unnecessary. The subplot about Rose in the future was, for the most part, a bit idiotic, and only really made sense in the end of the film. However, had the editor edited the subplot out of the film entirely, and only showed it from the scene where she dies, the film would have been shorter and would have been more focused.

The characters in this film are weak. Class stereotyping in this film is bizarre. In James Cameron's mind,

"Only the rich are bad! No poor people aboard the Titanic were bullying, beating, thieving or unkind to anyone! Rich people are bad! James Cameron, one of the most successful film directors in the world, says that rich people are bad, which means James Cameron is bad! Oh no, I'm evil, cruel, selfish and snobby because I earn more than a postman!"

Basically, the characters aren't real. I'm not saying that no upper class people aboard the Titanic were snobbish, because that would be foolish, but the disrespect to the rich dead, and the misrepresentation of the dead poor are appalling tricks to manipulate the audience into liking the protagonist and disliking the antagonist.

Overall, this film is good for it's emotional connection to audiences, which is unfortunately one of the main problems, the manipulating way characters are dealt with. The plot is bland, the performances sub-par, the dialogue atrocious and the effects revolutionary, the action is tremendous and audiences care about the sea because James Cameron can make them care about water.