Iffy for 12+
Great movie, but not appropriate for all kids.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that James Cameron's King-of-the-World saga Titanic is one of the highest-grossing movies of all time and is still sure to attract young teen and tween audiences. There's brief nudity (a topless Rose poses for a nude drawing) and sexuality (Jack and Rose make love in the backseat of a car), but the forbidden romance between the main characters (played by Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio) is otherwise rather chaste by today's PG-13 standards. It's the epic Titanic sinking scene that may make this movie too intense for younger kids. Throughout the mass chaos, people are fighting, shooting at each other, plunging to their watery deaths, and in some cases, even committing suicide. The fact that this is based on a historical event may be too intense for sensitive children, but mature kids fascinated with the Titanic will find it compelling to watch.
- Families can talk about how in the face of catastrophe, people's true characters were revealed by their choices. How do different people on board the Titanic react to the ship sinking? Who were the bravest? Who were the most selfish?
- Has society's emphasis on class changed since the time period depicted in Titanic? What are other social considerations that divide people nowadays? How does Rose's life after the Titanic pay tribute to her brief love affair with Jack?
- James Cameron is known for depicting strong, fearless female characters. If you're familiar with his other movies, compare Rose to Ripley (Aliens), Sarah Connor (The Terminator), and Neytiri, Trudy, and Grace (Avatar).
The good stuff
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Messages: Early 20th-century class issues are at the heart of the conflict between Jack and Rose's whirlwind relationship. High-society folks didn't socialize with those beneath their status at the time, but Jack and Rose fall in love despite those societal trappings, proving that a person's worth is far greater than the station they were born into. Both of them overcome numerous obstacles to be together. The idea that first-class passengers' lives are somehow more important than lesser-class passengers is exposed as disgusting.
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Role models: Jack and Rose transcend societal expectations and fall in love with each other, acting bravely to help save themselves and others. The "Haves" for the most part -- excepting Molly Brown, the Captain, and the ship architect -- aren't the most admirable lot. Many people onboard act selfishly, like Cal, who pretends a small child is his to get a spot on a lifeboat, or the shipworker who refuses to allow his half-filled lifeboat to return to save more people.
What to watch for
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Violence: Extremely intense action, especially as the Titanic begins to sink. There's mass chaos that leads to fist fights, pushing, gun violence, and even suicide. People plunge to their deaths in icy waters, some of them being killed by falling debris from the ship. Almost everyone left in the water drowns, and there are close-ups of some passengers who choose to never even attempt to leave the ship, preferring to await the inevitable in their rooms or lounges.
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Sex: One scene of a topless woman as she poses for a painting, plus shots of that painting, as well as a few other nude drawings. Jack and Rose flirt, kiss passionately, and eventually make love. The love scene doesn't include any nudity, but the couple is sweaty, out-of-breath, bare-shouldered, and on top of each other.
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Language: The most commonly used swear is "s--t," which is repeated several times throughout the movie. Other strong language includes one "f--k," "son of a bitch," "damn," "hell," "ass," "bloody," and several "goddamns" "oh my Gods," and other exclamations, especially toward the end. Insulting taunts include "slut," "whore," and "moron."
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Consumerism: Not an issue
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: The first-class passengers drink wine and champagne with dinner, and the men leave to smoke cigars and drink brandy after dinner (accurate for the time period); the steerage passengers get drunk at a late-night party where beer is plentiful. Jack smokes cigarettes in a few scenes. Rose tries to smoke a cigarette, but her fiance stops her; later she does smoke one.
Fan Reviews provided by
5
Titanic sinks into the spotlight! by Plan Go See FAN
Titanic made me feel alot of different emotions. it made me laugh, it made me cry, but most imprortant of all, it made me fall in love with it. U will fall in love with this movie every time u watch it. From the suspenseful way it grasps ur attetion, to the loving and emotional way it grasps ur heart. Do yourself a favor, watch this movie. u won't regret it......u'll cherish it forever.
5
Titanic by moviesonthebigscreen
THE BEST MOVIE EVER! Although it is a long movie it was fantastic! Leonardo Dicapio and Kate Winslet are the best who could ever play the roles as Jack and Rose. If you haven't seen Titanic, you have to see it! It is brilliant!
5
Titanic Movie Review by Asianfreak
100 out of 100 "Titanic" is the #1 movie in America because it is a thrilling, romantic, action-packed epic from James Cameron. The first our is full of romance and raging excitment and the last two hours are thrilling. Leonardo DiCaprio shows his most emotional character in this epic drama, honestly I was one of many who cried when he passed away. But it is the #1 best romance ever.
5
Titanic by dawson97
Titanic is one of the best movies ever made. It's a classic, and is a sweeping romantic epic. It tells the story of Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater, who meet on the maiden voyage of Titanic, the doomed luxury liner of 1912. Rose is already engaged to Cal Hockley, at her mother's request to keep their family wealthy. Her mother doesn't approve of Jack, but Rose falls in love with him. Jack is a poor boy from Wisconsin and Rose is a well brought up British girl. But when the ship sinks, they stick together until the very end.
This movie was breath-taking. Beautiful costumes, incredible cinematography, and fantastic special effects. This movie won 11 Academy Awards, and deserved every single one of them.
Extraordinary acting from Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. You feel as if you can feel their love and passion for eachother, and can feel their fear and pain during the sinking.
It'll make you laugh, cry, and fall in love with these characters everytime. SEE THIS MOVIE!
5
The best movie EVER! by kay2u
Loved it. leonardo was so cute in it and Kate was amazing!
5
Wow! by moviefanchris88
I don't watch things like this often, but there's no way I couldn't give this movie a solid grade: A+. Even though its a liitle over three hours long, its kinda easy to keep up with it if you get into it. I strongly recommend this one. Titanic definately wins!
5
Amazing,great love story! by sierralaue
I've watched this on tv many times and its brilliant, I became obsessed with the movie. Leonardo and Kate are amazing actors! It seems like a real love story. Love the effects at the end when the ship sinks. Grab your friends and go!
5
my titanic review by lord-o-movies
one of the best movie or at least romance movie ive ever seen
it had a great director(james cameron)
great actors
great special fx
if your one of the very few who havent seen it see it now
it won 11 academy awards for all that junk
3
Amazing Hypocricy by ms834
"The idea that first-class passengers' lives are somehow more important than lesser-class passengers is exposed as disgusting."
Is the idea that women's lives are somehow more important then men's exposed? Is the idea that it is ok to be disgusted by first-class passengers preveniting steerage passengers from escaping but it is not ok to be disgusted by men being both brainwashed and forced into giving their lives so women may live exposed? Look at the passenger lists and survivor lists sometime; the big news wasn't the % of steerage passengers that dies; it is the % of men that died.
Also what makes the story 'timeless' is that Jack DIED. Rose didn't DIE for Jack. And clearly if they made it to shore she wasn't leaving her life or position for a starving artist and some good sex. Jack would have been a distant memory of a fling with a street hoodlum while she enjoyed the good life courtesy of her 'crappy' fiance.
So how is this a great romantic movie?