Titanic (1997)

James Cameron came to Titanic (1997) off the back of True Lies (1994) and the phenomenal success of Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991), and arrived on set with a reputation for being both visionary and extremely difficult to work with. The production was notoriously troubled, running massively over schedule and over its already enormous $200 million budget (split between Paramount and 20th Century Fox, the latter of which reportedly considered pulling out entirely). Cameron had a purpose-built studio constructed in Baja California, Mexico, to house a near full-scale replica of the ship, and the shoot became infamous for its gruelling conditions. The film arrived at a mid-1990s cultural moment when disaster spectacle and prestige romance were both commercially potent, and it ultimately became the highest-grossing film ever made at the time, taking in well over two billion dollars worldwide.

Let’s be clear, Titanic is a technical achievement. The scale of the production, the recreation of the ship, the painstaking detail in its final descent into the Atlantic, all of that is undeniably impressive. James Cameron throws every resource at making the disaster feel real, and when the ship begins to tilt, when the lights flicker and the orchestra plays on, the sheer weight of history and spectacle hits hard. As a piece of engineering in film form, it’s hard to fault. But as a movie it’s surprisingly flat. The central romance between Jack and Rose is meant to be epic, soul-stirring, the kind of love that defies class, time, and even death. In practice, it feels rehearsed, clichéd, and often cringeworthy. I think this is arguably DiCaprio's worst performance. The dialogue leans heavily on melodrama, and while Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet do their best, the script gives them little beyond sweeping glances and breathless declarations. The film also drags at over three hours, it spends far too long on setup, squeezing in every possible subplot and caricatured villain before the iceberg even hits. Once the ship starts sinking, it finds its footing, but by then, the emotional core has already worn thin. There’s no doubt it was a cultural phenomenon, and the score is unforgettable. But stripped of the hype, the Oscars, and the teenage heartbreak of the 90s, Titanic feels more like a grand, well-made spectacle than a great film. Ambitious, yes. But overall just average.

Rating: ★★½  | Year: 1997  | Watched: 2025-07-31

View on Letterboxd →

Where to watch (UK)

Stream: Amazon Prime Video · Disney Plus · Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Physical: Amazon UK

Affiliate disclosure: Movies With Macca may earn a small commission on purchases or subscriptions started via these links. It costs you nothing extra.

Related on Movies With Macca

More from James Cameron: Avatar (2009) · Aliens (1986) · Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) · The Terminator (1984)
More with Leonardo DiCaprio: Blood Diamond (2006) · The Beach (2000) · One Battle After Another (2025) · Gangs of New York (2002)
More from the 1990s: Lessons of Darkness (1992) · Shinjuku Boys (1995) · Blue (1993) · Cemetery Man (1994)
More drama: Viy (1967) · Wonder (2017) · A Better Tomorrow (1986) · Beautiful Boy (2018)
More romance: The Eagle (1925) · The Last Picture Show (1971) · The General (1926) · The Docks of New York (1928)