Movie Review: Titanic in 3D

I've never seen the original release of "Titanic"; Not once during its theatrical run in 1997, or even its eventual release in home video. I've caught portions and snippets of it now and then through subsequent showings in HBO and other movie channels, but I've never been able to sit through the movie as a whole, much less show an appreciation for it other than the historical significance of the real-life incident the film is based on to the world. However, as luck would have it, the film has come back to theaters, and it comes during the centennial year of what is still considered one of the biggest and deadliest maritime disasters known to mankind ever.

As of this posting, April 10, 2012 marks the 100th year anniversary of the Titanic's maiden voyage, and to commemorate the occasion, 20th Century Fox and Paramount Pictures have re-released James Cameron's epic piece to the world once more, fully converted and remastered to 3D. Following the success of his 2010 flick Avatar, Cameron spearheaded this conversion from the original, hoping to give audiences a breathtaking new look at one of Hollywood's biggest films and the highest grossing film of all time. After a year of adjustment, "Titanic in 3D" set sail into theaters on April 6, just a week shy from the anniversary that bore dreams and tragedy at sea. Being a 15 year old movie, does this rerelease hold up and still manage to captivate audiences like before? Find out in this review coming from a first time viewer. Special thanks goes out to Fox Philippines and Ayala Cinemas for the screening!

Movie: Titanic in 3D 
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane 
Release Date: April 4, 2012

Like the name suggests, Titanic is a film that centers on the ill-fated maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic, one of the biggest ships in history that set sail from Southampton, England on April 10, 1912. Intended  for a destination from its port to New York, a collision with an iceberg caused the ship to slowly but surely sink on the night of April 15, 1912, killing more than half of the passengers on board. The movie depicts these events while focusing on the fictionalized love story of Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater, two people from different social classes who grow close to one another during the tragic journey of the ship. Now remastered and rereleased in 3D, experience Titanic like never before, and see the epic adventure come to life in a whole new way.


Titanic in 3D Trailer
As a first time viewer, I never expected a lot out of Titanic, but I'm thankful that I finally caught a screening of it at last. After years of hits and misses to actually sit down and see the film in its entirety I finally got my chance, and now I can see why James Cameron gained critical acclaim for this flick. Years ago, I thought it was nothing more than a romantic movie set on a tragic period in history, with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet on the cover to supply some young love attraction and star power. Now that I've seen it, I now know why it won 11 Academy Awards, including nabbing the coveted awards for Best Picture and Best Director. It's a remarkable piece indeed, and even as a rerelease, seeing the entire thing in 3D enhanced the experience, and made me realize how much effort and time it took to produce a film of its magnitude, let alone one that mostly uses practical effects to depict one of the most well known and documented shipwrecks mankind has ever known.

For the price of admission and a story worth reexperiencing, Titanic in 3D is surely a film not to be missed if you're a fan of Cameron's masterpiece or haven't had the chance to see it ever in cinemas. Whether it be out of nostalgia, to listen to Celine Dion's vocal piece "My Heart Will Go On", or to commemorate the occasion 100 years ago, it's definitely a must see for the sake of art and film combined. It's a decent epic piece, and I'm glad I was fortunate enough to catch it sailing back into cinemas. The conversion to 3D is definitely the highlight of the rerelease, so give yourself a go and see this 3 hour wonder once more before it leaves port and goes back into the home video collection route.

Rating - 4/5

*Originally posted by Timzster in Timzster