Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Titanic

MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA) for disaster related peril and violence, nudity, sensuality and brief language.

Reviewed by: Dave Rettig
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Very Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults
Genre: Romance Drama History 3D
Length: 3 hr. 14 min.
Year of Release: 1997
USA Release: December 19, 1997 (wide)
3D theatrical release: April 4, 2012
DVD re-release: September 14, 2012
Copyright, Paramount Picturesclick photos to ENLARGE Copyright, Paramount Pictures Copyright, Paramount Pictures Copyright, Paramount Pictures Copyright, Paramount Pictures
Relevant Issues
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Disasters

Why does God allow innocent people to suffer? Answer

What about the issue of suffering? Doesn’t this prove that there is no God and that we are on our own? Answer

Does God feel our pain? Answer

ORIGIN OF BAD—How did bad things come about? Answer

Did God make the world the way it is now? What kind of world would you create? Answer

Prayer

Panic

FEAR, Anxiety and Worry—What does the Bible say? Answer

Cowardice versus courage, self-sacrifice, heroism, bravery

LOVE—For a follower of Christ, what is LOVE—a feeling, an emotion, or an action?

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FACING DEATH—What is DEATH? and WHY does it exist? Answer in the Bible

What is the FINAL JUDGMENT? and WHAT do you need to know about it? Answer

What is ETERNAL LIFE? and what does the Bible say about it?

What is ETERNAL DEATH?

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Are we living in a moral Stone Age? Answer

How do I know what is right from wrong? Answer

Premarital sex / What is sexual immorality?

Sexual lust outside of marriage—Why does God strongly warn us about it?

Purity—Should I save sex for marriage?

TEMPTATIONS—How can I deal with them?

CONSEQUENCES—What are the consequences of sexual immorality?

How far is too far? What are the guidelines for dating relationships?

Sex, Love and Relationships
Learn how to make your love the best it can be. Christian answers to questions about sex, marriage, sexual addictions, and more. Valuable resources for Christian couples, singles and pastors.

TRUE LOVE—What is true love and how do you know when you have found it? Answer

Jealousy

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Unhealthy mother daughter relationship

High society and rich snobs / arrogance / class differences and class separation and conflict

Innocent person accused of theft


Ships in the Bible

Diamonds

Ice and icebergs

Featuring Leonardo DiCaprioJack Dawson
Kate WinsletRose DeWitt Bukater
Gloria StuartOld Rose
Billy ZaneCaledon “Cal” Hockley
Kathy BatesMolly Brown
Frances FisherRuth Dewitt Bukater
Bill PaxtonBrock Lovett
Victor GarberThomas Andrews
Bernard HillCaptain Edward James Smith
David WarnerSpicer Lovejoy
Ioan Gruffudd5th Officer Harold Lowe
See all »
Director James Cameron—an ardent atheist who produced the anti-Biblical TV documentaries “The Lost Tomb of Jesus” and “The Exodus Decoded” (see: Wikpedia article for some details on his public and personal life)
Producer Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Paramount Pictures
See all »
Distributor Distributor: Paramount Pictures Corporation. Trademark logo.Paramount Pictures Corporation

In 1912, 2,200 people were aboard the cruise liner Titanic. Approximately two-thirds of these people died. It is through the vision of director James Cameron that these cold statistics take on a new life. The epic “Titanic”, relives the disastrous voyage of the Titanic through the eyes of two star-crossed lovers. Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio), the streetwise underdog falls for beautiful socialite Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet). They are from different worlds, and the powers that would hold each within their caste erupts with a violent nature comparable to the cataclysmic destiny of the unsinkable ship.

This fictional tale of ill fated lovers is cast on the historic background of the famed Titanic. The set design, models and computer generated effects of the now sunken ship are breathtaking. The acting is impressive, yet the characters seem a bit shallow, probably due to the tremendous number of people who we encounter in this film. The plot is predictable. There are no great surprises in “Titanic”. However, the sheer scale of this film is so awesome, that I was eagerly awaiting each scene, just to breath in the grand scope of the story.

“Titanic” contains brief nudity and a bedroom scene. The nudity takes place as Dawson sketches Miss Bukater, as she poses unclothed. The bedroom scene does not show sexual acts (other than some intense kissing); however, the movie does not leave any questions in the viewer mind as to what happened.

Also prevalent are violence, profanity, and gore. None of these exceed the level expected when dealing with a disaster movie. The violence and gore will be too much for young audiences, and combined with the nudity and bedroom scene make this a film for adults only. There also appears to be some sort of life-after-death message in the final scenes, but this is far from central.

All said, “Titanic” is an interesting story with the support of excellent acting and special effects. The three hours this film occupies passes relatively quickly.

Amazing coincidences
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The Unsinkable TitanicThe story of the supposedly unsinkable Titanic has incredibly close parallels to the biblical plan of salvation — READ
  • Violence: Heavy
  • Foul language: Heavy— “J*sus Chr*st,” “J*sus” (2), “Chr*st,” G*d d*mn (9), “For G*d’s sakes” (4), “Oh G*d” (4), “My G*d” (2), “Oh my G*d,” “God” (2), “G*d Almighty,” F-word (1) and an obscene gesture, S-words (12), “h*ll” (6), “d*mn” (8), “a**” (3), SOB (2), Slut, Whore, Bastards, Bloody
  • Sex/Nudity: Heavy— 17-year-old girl character poses nude forboy, bare breasts, full frontal nudity (drawings), cleavage, man fondles a woman’s breast (clothed), passionate kissing, fornication

Slang definition: Bloody

X
Streaming video— 
“I Got Goosebumps When I Found the Titanic’s Pastor”
Christian Titanic Survivor tells the story of how he found Jesus when the unsinkable ship sank, Pastor John Harper led him to Christ.
Video by Joe Kirby, Off The Kirb Ministries
Length: 6 minutes
Article Version: December 23, 2021

Hollywood lost at sea, or the Titanic sinks again

review by guest, Elizabeth Farah of WorldNetDaily, reprinted with permission

I didn’t want to write this article. I resisted, but now that “Titanic” has become the top grossing film of all time—in the U.S. and the world, I feel compelled. Surpassing “Star Wars,” “Titanic” has taken in some $1 billion internationally and $465 million domestically. Besides its dollar achievements, “Titanic” has received 15 Academy Award nominations and, from what I can tell, nearly universal acclaim—but not in our household.

This is not only a bad movie, it’s a fundamentally immoral one—deceptive, manipulative, offensive. A monument to the moral destitution of our society. Last night I watched a reporter interview a psychologist as to the meaning of the movie’s success. I learned “Titanic” has achieved its extraordinary popularity because the American people are looking for stories about the meaning of life. Well, America, if you found “Titanic” satisfies this quest, our country is in a great deal of trouble. The psychologist closed saying that “movies are a reflection of what’s going on in our culture.” I agree. Boy, do I agree. One only has to study the American people’s response to the scandals and crimes of the current administration for confirmation of this fact.

For those of you who have already seen the movie—and loved it, read on. Ask yourself if the stunning superficial beauty of this film obscured its underlying ugliness. For those of you who haven’t seen it, ask yourself if a movie which upholds the values “Titanic” does, can be a great movie despite its moral bankruptcy. The film’s success, a hundred years ago, would have elicited a nationwide uproar concerning the relationship of art to morality. (Can any artistic achievement which glorifies immorality be “great?”) Not in today’s America.

So what’s wrong with “Titanic”? Gee, where do I begin? For starters, the “heroine” of “Titanic,” Rose, is a self-absorbed, spoiled aristocrat. She takes the fateful journey with her mother and wealthy fiancee, Cal, who presents her with a priceless diamond necklace during the voyage. She is having second thoughts about her engagement. You see, she doesn’t love the arrogant, pretentious Cal—she is marrying him for his money (at her mother’s urging). Rose’s misgivings predictably have nothing to do with a guilty conscience at her deception.

Let me pause to reflect on the general theme of the characterizations the screenwriters developed. There is a simple formula: All wealthy people are boorish, overbearing, dishonest, selfish, pretentious, and greedy—some are evil. All people of limited means are genuine, loving, selfless, honorable and generous. This simplistic and shallow (not to mention untrue) way of portraying the movie’s characters is truly sophomoric. But apparently the general public cannot see the injustice and inaccuracy of this propaganda. Can it be that the dumbing down of America, and the left’s tactic of fomenting class envy has been so successful that they actually agree with the manipulators who produced this movie? I shudder.

Back to our “heroine.” She’s unfulfilled by her life. Her intended doesn’t appreciate her Picassos. She doesn’t like cocktail party chitchat. She’s misunderstood. So, she does what anyone in her situation would do. She makes a half-hearted attempt to kill herself by jumping overboard. During the botched suicide try, she meets the “hero,” a young struggling artist who won his third-class ticket on the Titanic in a poker game. How does he make his living? Selling his third-rate sketches for ten cents each. As you can guess, using the formula outlined above, Jack is genuine, loving, selfless and honorable. (Just ignore his seduction of another man’s future wife.) He pursues Rose during the next few days finally convincing her to go below decks—where the poor (good) people are. Rose has a wonderful time at a raucous party.

Stop the tape. Rose, an engaged woman, deceives her fiancé, and goes with another man to a party—where they kiss. How courageous. Cal’s assistant witnesses her moral lapse and reports back to the boss. The following morning, Cal has the audacity to be angry at Rose! He… tells Rose that no wife of his is going to act this way. To me, this would be an understandable reaction. If the genders were reversed, the writers would have portrayed the offended female as righteously indignant. But he is a rich, white male—thus, we are encouraged to despise his actions and sympathize with Rose instead.

Rose has decided not to go through with the marriage—she loves Jack. What would a heroine do in this circumstance? She could go to her fiancé, explain she doesn’t love him and call off the wedding. Since the 500 wedding invitations have gone out, he is paying for her transit, and he will obviously be humiliated by her breaking off the engagement, she could delay a public display of affection for Jack until after their arrival in America. Or she could ask Jack, a man she just met, to draw her naked in her fiancé’s sitting room. She could wear the fabulous diamond—a gift of her fiancé. Then she could leave that picture, along with the diamond and a cruel note in the fiancé’s safe. Next she could go off with Jack and have sex in the back seat of her fiancé’s car in the hold of the ship. Hmm. This is a difficult decision. What would a heroine do? Since the fiancé is a rich, white male—she does the latter.

Q & A

• Are we living in a moral Stone Age? Answer

• How do I know what is right from wrong? Answer

Every one of my daughters’ friends has seen “Titanic.” Of course my kids can’t figure out why I won’t let them see this trash. (Another emergency family round-table discussion.) Courage to do the right thing though difficult is a necessary quality of all heroes. Sins do not become virtues because those whom you sin against are pompous. You cannot be a hero if you are fundamentally dishonest and cruel. Heroes can sin, but they must atone for those sins to remain a hero. (For the record, I have sinned many times, but I was never a hero when I did.) Filmmakers have other options when dealing with a less than virtuous “hero.” The tone of the movie can indict the immorality of the “hero.” Other characters of integrity can denounce sinful behavior. In a sadistic twist the only persons appalled at Rose’s immorality are the villains! Compare “Titanic” to “Gone With the Wind,” “An Affair to Remember” and “Casablanca”—forget it.

“Titanic” reminds me of the distinctions between people of faith and secularists. While all agree that death is inevitable and very often unexpected the religious and secularists do not agree on the behavior life’s fragility should promote. Those of faith, know they may meet their Maker, at any moment, at which time they will account for their sins. Their fear and deep love for God inspires them in their constant struggle for righteousness. To the secularist, life is short—get what you want—when you want it, and in what ever way necessary. Our heros fit into the latter category.

Before I get to the most insulting scene in this movie, I’ll regale you with a few more choice excerpts. In one scene Rose humiliates her dining partners (including her mother) by self-righteously concluding that the Titanic represented a phallic symbol to one of the guests at the table. (We were supposed to find her terribly sophisticated and enlightened for her time.) Rude, crude behavior is never sophisticated. Of course, when Rose uses a certain four-letter word and the accompanying hand gesture in another scene, we are again supposed to admire her.

As the Titanic is sinking, we are treated to the heroism and cowardice of the passengers. A mother holding an infant asks Captain Edward Smith what she should do. We are stunned to see him callously turn away from her without any offer of help—later we see them frozen in the Atlantic. In reality, the captain went down with the ship, and in one survivor’s account, Smith, bobbing in the freezing water yells out encouragements to those hanging on to an overturned lifeboat. He never asks to be taken aboard.

One of the most inspiring true stories of the Titanic is that of Margaret Brown. You’ve heard of the unsinkable Molly Brown. In real life, Margaret was a survivor in one of the lifeboats. A sailor refused her command to turn around and pick up survivors dying in the water. He threatened her, but she forced him to go back. In the movie—she shuts up.

In the movie, the lower decks are locked behind a floor-to-ceiling gate. The ships crew heartlessly refuses to unlock the gates—condemning those trapped to a certain death. The truth? The gates on the Titanic were short enough to be climbed over—even if they were locked. It is true that far more lower class passengers died than the wealthy, but not for this reason. (On that note I will mention that the tales of courage exhibited by the “upper-class”—as well as by others related in first-hand accounts are truly inspiring—I just don’t have space to recount them.)

How does our “heroine” behave? You be the judge. Jack and the evil fiancé persuade Rose to get into a lifeboat. Lifeboats are scarce. There are only enough for about half the passengers. She takes a seat coveted by hundreds of other passengers—including other women and many children. Then, at the last moment, when it’s too late for anyone else to claim it, she hurls herself back into the ship to find her true love. The fact is she is responsible for one other passenger’s death—the one who could have taken her place. How are we supposed to interpret this act? “Oh, how romantic, she’d rather die than leave her one true love.” As we see later, Jack dies as a direct result of her recapitulation—but our little Rose survives.

As a matter of fact, Rose lives into her 100s. We experience the story of the Titanic though her words as she recounts the events to her granddaughter and the crew of the salvage ship. Ironically, they are searching for the very diamond which Rose wore in the portrait created by her lost love. You see, the diamond went down with the ship along with Rose—as far as Cal and his family know. Of course the insurance company suffered a tremendous loss when the claim was submitted.

But wait. We know the diamond was in Cal’s jacket, the jacket he offered to the shivering Rose. What gives? Did she lose the diamond while swimming in the Atlantic? No, in the final scene of the movie we discover the 100-year-old Rose has kept the diamond all these years! For those of you who don’t get it—our “heroine” stole the diamond! She is a thief! Does she feel remorse, regret? No!

Copyright, Paramount Pictures

This little old lady stands up on a railing as she did while contemplating suicide 80 years ago, and throws the necklace overboard—instead of herself! To the moviegoers and no doubt the producers of this movie, this act was the final crowning virtuous achievement in the life of this courageous woman. When, oh when, did thievery achieve the moral equivalence of valor? Was the family of her fiancé so evil that they deserved this? Were the owners of the insurance company evil, greedy, white males? Probably, therefore, their loss is justifiable. (To the knee-jerk liberals out there, what could the proceeds from selling a diamond worth perhaps 10’s or 100’s of millions of dollars do for “the children”?)

And that, kind readers, is the story of the Titanic. Yes, they may have gotten the number of portholes right. The chandeliers, woodwork and china patterns may have been “perfect.” But the true story—the one involving people, faith, truth, justice, honesty, courage, loyalty, etc. went down with the Titanic this time. Yes, movies do reflect the culture but the culture of a society is influenced by its art. So many millions have seen this movie—they have sub-consciously absorbed the moral relativism of the producers. Millions of children, in their innocence, have learned what kind of character a heroine embodies. The future of America will someday be in their hands.

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Except for the obvious nudity and sex scene, “Titanic” was an awesome movie. The 3½ hours zip buy as the movie captivates the viewer with a great story, acting and awesome special effects. I’m not into love stories by this one was superb. Whatever you do, go see this movie!!!
John Traylor, age 32
I was very moved by the final scene in “Titanic”, in which Rose apparently enters into Paradise. There were no class or social distinctions there, only radiance and love. It was also interesting to note who was and was not there. God alone will truly be the judge on that final day. And I prefer to leave the judging to Him!
Lillian Calkins, age 39
I have to start out by saying I can’t even believe people are taking their children to see “Titanic,” in the first place, it is not a movie for children. It is not a movie that would have even interested me at the age of 13 or under. Why are people complaining about nudity, when they shouldn’t have taken their children in the first place, especially the people who took children under the age of 13, when it is a PG-13 movie!!

I truly enjoyed this movie, I have been a Christian for 22 years, and I was not offended in the least bit. I agree that they could have left out the sexual scene, but I don’t feel that there was pornography presented in this movie… EXCELLENT!!! The acting, and the effects were awesome!
Kathy Matamoros, age 28
I enjoyed the movie, “Titanic.” What I valued most about the movie were the historical facts and the truths about human nature. Also, I liked the story about Rose and Jack. The New York Times recently published an article about the real Titanic which was then published by my local paper. According to the New York Times, investigative hearings revealed:
  • that the Titanic didn’t take ice warnings from nearby ships seriously
  • there were no binoculars in the ship’s Crow’s Nest
  • there were not nearly enough lifeboats for all aboard and boats available were being underloaded, “mainly with women and children”
  • people froze to death in their life vests and one boat belatedly went back to save a handful of people
See all »
Michelle Wallin, age 23
My husband and I were very impressed by the movie and the detail of every aspect of this tragedy—from the authentic interior of the Titanic to the spectacular and very realistic sinking. The movie was put together beautifully and smoothly and it clips right along until one is gripping their seat in fear that they too will fall into the icy Atlantic.

However, I did have a problem with the love story. This could have been an absolute classic of a movie, but Hollywood had to interject immoral sex into this love story. One needs to remember that the year was 1912 and the morality of the times was one of chivalry and that even a “kiss” after knowing someone a few days would certainly have been considered risqué. But leave it to Hollywood to put a twisted 1990’s morality of nudity and sex into this love story when kissing with some shocked matrons looking on would have been more fitting of the time. One must understand that a rebellion of sorts in 1912 probably would have looked somewhat different than now. Basically, what it did was pull me out of the movie and back to reality, where I basically began doubting the movie because of such liberties. It added absolutely nothing to the movie and really was the detracting element.

When will Hollywood ever get it? Fortunately, we did not take our younger son to see this movie. I did what others suggested—covered my eyes when I realized what was going to happen.
Helene Hauptli, age 46
I found the “sketch scene” to be done in remarkably good taste. Jack’s perspective was from an artistic point of view. It was plainly obvious that Jack didn’t see her in a sexual way, instead he was very intent on his artwork, and the beauty of his subject. The older Rose held his behavior in high regard, referring to him as a gentleman and chiding those who thought the event was something base. Although the character Rose was shown nude fairly briefly, I didn’t find this scene in any way arousing. I saw a young man of good character drawing a beautiful woman, much the way he would a beautiful sunset… As a Christian, of course I can’t condone their behavior in the car, and I really don’t think the scene was needed… Overall, I thought this was an excellent movie. I really felt like cameras had been taken back to 1912. I would tell any fellow Christian that this movie was great, although not for kids.
Mike Shaw, age 25
I must say that James Cameron’s “Titanic” is without a doubt THE film to see. It is both a technical marvel and a testament to the history of moviemaking, yet a compelling story of survival and love amid the great maritime disaster of the 20th century. Many of the characters were indeed shallow, particularly Billy Zane’s rich snobby socialite, but the story of the love between Kate Winslet’s upper-class society girl of Rose, and Leonardo DiCaprio’s street-smart Jack Dawson, is no different from what has been seen in films from “Romeo and Juliet” to “Aladdin” to the silent films of Charlie Chaplin.

The film is worth every penny of the $200 million which was spent, and unlike some of the big-budget disasters from years past, most notably “Waterworld” and “Heaven’s Gate,” “Titanic” told a sad yet compelling story that demands the viewer’s attention. Yes, I could have done without the nudity and the swearing, like many of the other reviewers have said. But this will rank right up there with “Gone With the Wind” and “Star Wars” as a grand classic of 20th century cinema. Truly, “Titanic” lives up to its name… and more.
Bill Williams, age 31
We thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The special effects were just remarkable and amazing. In my opinion, the production really gave the audience a feel for what it was like to cross the Atlantic in those great ocean liners back in Edwardian days… whether you were among the rich traveling first class or among the immigrants traveling steerage… Having crossed the Atlantic twice on the Queen Mary, I have to say that while you are aboard, you can hardly believe that these ships would sink under you… My observations are:

(1) It was far-fetched for the rich young woman in first class and the poor young man in steerage to have met at all.

(2) I did approve of Jack’s more selfless behavior. She was a young woman who just wanted to do her own thing. See all »
Lauren Myers, age 49
Magnificent. “Titanic” was breathtaking. I was disheartened by the many negative reviews listed on this sight. The nudity was shocking, but I wouldn’t be so appalled by it as to base my hatred for the entire film. If the Bible had pictures, would we simply ignore Genesis? I know that there are many conservative people out there, but lighten up. Simply pass the word about any objectionable comment to warn other parents. If you see past this, the film of love and love lost aboard the grand ship can really touch you. Every person (Christian and non) I’ve recommended to see the movie has loved it.
Chris Master
The most pleasant surprise about this film was that the three hour twenty-five minute running time went by quickly. “Titanic” has a fairly well-written love story that keeps your attention for the first third of the film, so that the iceberg scene actually comes a surprise. The production design and effects are magnificent and transport you believably to the world of 1912. However, this film does have unnecessary profanity, nudity and glorification of immoral behavior and could have easily been written on the PG level. Yet, all in all, I would strongly recommend this film.
Kevin Burk, age 26
James Cameron has created a movie that truly moves people. People cheer for the good guys, sneared at the bad guys, laughed at all the subtle cute jokes, and people truly applaud at the end of the movie. People stayed to watch the credits, which people don’t do now days. Groups of people and friends hugged at the end of it. I don’t cry at movies. I cried at this one; other guys in the audience did, too. I have never seen a movie do this.

From a Christian standpoint, I would rate it a strong PG-13, or even R for that matter. Yes, there is nudity, but you can see it coming and can advert your eyes until the scene is over. There is also a premarital sex scene (even though nothing is shown, you know what happened), which did not need to be in there… What really scares you is not what happens on screen, but the truth that “this actually happened to actual people.”

One of the major underlying themes of this movie was of sacrificial love. Watch as the character Jack Dawson always puts everything on the line all the time, always sacrificing himself for the good of others. The director James Cameron also shows how frail human life is and from that we Christians see that humans need a savior. James Cameron may not be a Christian, but practically all of his movies involve Christian elements… I saw this movie with my sister (who is VERY picky in what she sees), and a bunch of other Christian friends. All agreed that it is a GREAT movie, and if you just advert your eyes in that one scene, you will be fine.
Jason Rasmussen, age 20
My wife and I took our three children, ages 9, 11, and 12 to see this movie during Christmas break. We have rented and have seen many PG-13 movies before, but we’ve never before seen frontal nudity in this rating. Overall, the story and effects were great but a strong warning to parents who don’t want their young teens exposed to this type of material should leave the kids at home.
Paul Frient, age 44
WHOA! WHAT A MOVIE! Grand, epic and extremely tragic, “Titanic” is easily one of 97’s best movies. I was definitely on the edge of my seat while watching this one. DiCaprio and Winslet were excellent as were Kathy Bates as “Molly Brown” and Billy Zane as Rose’s jealous, unloving fiancé. Expect visual effects, sound effects and cinematography Oscars for this as the images on screen were beautifully shot.

The boat sinking itself and the aftermath was spectacular and heartbreaking at the same time. Extremely heartbreaking as we watched the poor souls who were neglected to be rescued. I would not recommend this movie for young children as this is the kind of film that’ll make you never ride another boat again. All in all, the fastest 3 hours 14 minutes I’ve spent in a theater… James Cameron does it again!
Chris Utley, age 25
This was without a doubt one of the best movies seen in the past few years. A beautiful love story. Suspenseful in plot right to the end, in spite of the fact we all know what happened to the Titanic. It spoke of the extreme class difference of the early nineteen hundreds. As a Christian, it does bother me to hear the Lord’s name used in vain, and this happens frequently, especially in the beginning. It is far to intense for children under 12. It would be frightening to see children in such distress. I would recommend this movie to young adults and adults alike.
Ruthann, age 58
This was a very well made movie. The special effects and scenery were outstanding. I was rather shocked at the nudity portrayed in the movie, but that’s Hollywood for you. The fact that the story starts in present day times is a very ingenious idea. I thought that it added much more to the movie. This is an excellent film that seemingly well portrays the emotions of those on the ship. I am sorry to say that the nudity contained in it is offensive and would certainly not be appropriate for anyone under 13 at least. As for filmmaking quality, I give this a thumbs up.
Thomas Burke
The “Titanic” is one of those rare epic and grand movies that make me wish for more of the same. From the very beginning the movie captures and immerses the viewer in the world of this doomed luxury liner which sank in the cold waters of the Atlantic in April of 1912 . In the first hour the movie introduces all the different characters, develops their relationship (especially the romantic relationship between Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet)) and gives an in depth tour of the life on board of the Titanic.

When the Titanic hits the iceberg the movie picks up speed and drama. In one moment the things that were deemed valuable become worthless. The vanity and emptiness of a lifestyle based on material things becomes very plain and visible as the passengers go through all the different stages of dealing with death (from denial and anger to acceptance). There are no longer first, second or third class passengers, but heroes and cowards, people ready to die and people surprised by their own mortality.

This finds its climax in the scene where the ship band plays “Nearer My God to Thee” just a few moments before the Titanic sinks. This is a movie that makes you think and offers an excellent platform to talk about the things that matter the most.
Caspar Blattmann, age 34
“Titanic” is a “must see” movie, if there ever is to be one in the 90's… It skillfully blends actual photos of the Titanic at the bottom of the ocean and real facts regarding the Titanic with the fantasy story of a young high society girl, Rose, engaged to marry a high society gentleman whom she finds she doesn’t really love…

The movie does have at least one use of the “F” word, some nudity, and suggestive scenes of one illicit night at love making. But the rest of the story is so compelling and thought provoking that I can honestly and in good conscience recommend this movie for most adult Christians. It is a bit too graphic and serious for smaller children, perhaps as old as 13, which is consistent with its PG-13 rating.
Dave Storhaug, age 53
Positive—LOVED this movie in 3D. I took my teenage daughters to see this movie. We did discuss some of the moral issues brought up in this movie. I have always thought they could have done without the nude scene, but I warned my daughters about it. Both my kids are interested in history and have been researching the history of the Titanic, on their own, after we saw this movie. Great story, worth telling and viewing. As a Christian, I can understand why some would not want to bring their kids to see this, because of some of the content, but as a parent, I strongly feel that we cannot keep our children in a bubble, we must teach them to live in this world, while not becoming worldly.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Leslie, age 48 (USA)
Positive—While Titanic definitely has its problems (namely some language and a scene of nudity and sex), overall it’s a movie I would recommend. Jack displays selfless love for Rose, much as Jesus did for the (flawed) church, dying to save her. After all the things of the world—money, a good name, etc.—fail to satisfy Rose, she finds hope in falling in love with Jack. The love story displayed, while unfortunately sexual, is inspiring.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 5
Kate, age 20 (USA)
Positive—Very good movie, overall. The music and acting is sheer geniu,s and it is right to be labeled a masterpiece. The special effects were amazing and brilliant. Some of the moments in the movie were uncalled for, but Rose and Jack accurately demonstrate how even God’s best people can make ungodly mistakes. It would be more unbiblical to portray them as sinless and perfect. Cal is an accurate representation of mammonism. I am not saying all rich people will go to hell, but Cal’s fate is a very good warning to those who love money. Ruth is another example of selfishness, abusive parenting, and arrogance, all of which have money at their root.

I’m not saying Rose has an automatic pass to dishonor her mother, but Ruth is no innocent victim in Rose’s venting and abandonment. I don’t know how any Christian could defend a character like Caledon Hockley or Ruth DeWitt Bukateer. Again, Rose and Jack make sinful choices, almost all of which are sexually immoral, but their story is about true love, something Cal thought his money could buy. Again, Jack was no angel, but neither was Cal. See all »
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 5
Peter, age 22 (USA)
Positive—The nudity and sex and language are things to look out for, but my favorite thing about “Titanic” is how the movie is strongly about waiting for a real man and not letting total jerks… get what they want. From a filmmaker’s perspective, this was a great movie. This is coming from a dude who doesn’t like chick flicks: “Titanic” is great. It had a couple of mildly hokey moments, but I enjoyed it. James Cameron knew what he was doing.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Jed, age 19 (USA)
Positive—To those who are morally offended by “Titanic”: okay, I get it. Rose and Jack have sex before marriage, and that is a sin. (I agree with that assessment, by the way. I happen to feel very strongly about the Christian rules on sex and marriage. Even evaluating the story in terms of authentic movie-making, I agree that premarital sex would have been much more unlikely and scandal-causing in 1912.) And if I had kids, I’m sure I would be evaluating this movie (and all movies) in a much more protective and censorious way.

However, coming from an artistic perspective (I’m a classical musician working in a very secular environment, and a seminary student with a passion for evangelism), I do think it’s worthwhile to be willing to look at the overall message of a popular film. Why is this movie so overwhelmingly popular? Why does it resonate with so many people? I saw “Titanic” obsessively in the theaters when it was first released in 1997. I just couldn’t get enough of this story. I was deservedly teased by my secular musician colleagues for my obsession. Why was I so taken with a story with such cardboard characters, banal dialog and sentimentality? See all »
My Ratings: Moral rating: Better than Average / Moviemaking quality: 4
Elizabeth, age 40 (USA)
Neutral
After seeing the movie I, too, was shocked at the nudity which was far from brief, and out of place. However, I cannot understand why parents with children at or below the age of 13 would be surprised that the content was not suitable for their children. After all, the “PG-13” rating is based on Hollywood’s morals. Maybe next time we should all visit this web site BEFORE exposing ourselves or children to something we’ll regret.
R. Repke, Age 30
Neutral—Note: I saw “Titanic” when it was already out on video five or six times, and will NOT see it in 3D for the reasons I shall state below. “Titanic” is a long movie directed by James Cameron (“The Terminator,” “Terminator 2,” “True Lies”) with a solid cast and boasting terrific production values. Special mention must be given to the meticulous recreation of the actual ship which was done by going from the original blueprints. That was very well done. The score by James Horner is also beautiful, and deserved the Oscar, as did the heartwrenching ballad “My Heart Will Go On” performed by Celine Dion (who several years earlier, accompanied by Peabo Bryson, had delivered a “Beautiful rendition of the title song for the instant Disney classic ‘Beauty And The Beast’). The supporting cast also did a splendid job, particularly Academy Award winner Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Billy Zane and Victor Garber.

You’d think that with such good production values behind it, this movie would be clear sailing. Alas, no. What we ended up with is a fictional story with lust as the protagonist/antagonist. While I have no problem with a fictional story set in a historical era (see the magnificent 1925 and 1959 film versions of General Lew Wallace’s epic novel Ben-Hur for an example), I think that this time, the fictional story overwhelmed the historical setting and historical characters (some of who were barely mentioned). The only historical characters to get any lengthy screen time were Captain E. J. Smith, J. Bruce Ismay, Thomas Andrews and Margaret Brown (later known as the Unsinkable Molly Brown), and even their depiction (to my limited knowledge) was heavily fictionalized. See all »
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
D, age 26 (USA)
Neutral—The movie “Titanic,” written, directed, and produced by James Cameron centers on the sinking of the RMS Titanic, while also focusing on a fictitious love story between two forbidden loves. Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) is a 17 year-old first class passenger who is engaged to be married to Pittsburgh steel magnate Cal Hockley (Billy Zane). Although she says she loves Cal, Rose feels pressured by her mother (Frances Fisher) into marrying him. Rose’s mother acknowledges the fact that the marriage is a way to solve the family’s secret financial problems.

See all »
My Ratings: Moral rating: Very Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3½
Greg Judy, age 24 (USA)
Neutral—My first time seeing this film was the 3D re-release in IMAX, and I must say, if you are going to watch it, that is the best way to do so. The film is big and beautiful and epic, and the large screen made it more so. The rest of the film is much as usual, so I am told: the music lovely, the costumes lush, the acting (for the most part) well done. While it certainly lacks morality, I probably will never watch it again due to the sadness; it was worth seeing once, but remembering all of the real people (especially children) that died horrific and completely preventable deaths was heart wrenching.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 5
Sarah C., age 21 (USA)
Negative
Negative—This movie should be R-rated, and believer’s may I explain why. The basis of the movie, was to tell, as accurately as James Cameron could, probably one of the most tragic sinkings of any ship. So, he used the love story between 2 people, and centralized the sinking around them. This was deemed PG-13, when it came to the theater near me, and the audience was mixed ages, with many young children. Not knowing the plot, it troubled me all these years, that up to now, millions of young children have seen it and will continue to do so.

Looking at it from our Biblical view is the only one that “matters, period.” First, Jack could have drawn anything, but nude ladies. Second, Rose was engaged… and in Scripture, betrothal is equal to already being married… it is taken just as seriously. In her unhappiness she could have said “no” at any time. But remember, when we act in our flesh, we do as we please, right? And so she did.

As sin always deceives us, the domino effect goes on. Now, her intrigued mind, begins to like Jack. Which leads her to 1st, —two flirting scenes, then to Jack saying to her, “do you want to go to a real party?” Then as feelings grow, she decides to show her true self, allowing Jack to draw her fully naked, though as the older Rose later says to the crew who have the original drawing right there, comments to them, “do you mean, did we “do it?” And, replies he was very professional. But adds it was the most erotic moment in her life.

And right before this, shared to her granddaughter Lizzy, “wasn’t I a dish?,” all before the crew with her nude drawing. Then placing the drawing in her fiancé’s safe, writing a message on it… now you can have the 2 of us… I think that is what was said, or somewhat close.

Then, in her decision to leave her fiancé, she decides she will partner fully with Jack. And next is the car intercourse scene.

So here is my conclusion. Mr. Cameron, an atheist, also was the one who actually drew the Rose sketch, and divorced his wife, for “Lizzy,” Roses’s granddaughter, acted upon his worldly views of what life is about in his mind. No doubt, most of the movie was extraordinary in realism, and the sheer horror of this tragedy. But think… everything I mentioned, could have been rewritten and produced, without the flirting, drawings, nudity, sex, and other lines used and the killing of a passenger, with the resulting suicide.

That scene, Mr. Cameron regrets, because the family of that man, is grieved that he included it.

While, Kate Winslet, hates autographing her nude drawing to this day!

Imagine what I just shared… where an intelligent producer, could have made this PG-13, simply for the actual sufferings, deaths, sinking scenes only. He could have easily made it wholesome and pure, as this would have made it even more desirable by content, and the real beauty of true love between a man and a woman, he could have magnified it to a level, where sacrifice trumps all! But he chose the typical world’s way… where “showing,” “hinting” sexual scenes, make viewers more interested.

Those choices did not in any way, enhance the movies plot. As a true artist, he has the opportunity to make it exceptionally a special love.

These scenes, realistically teach youth… it’s ok for Jack and Rose, so it’s ok for me. It wears down their sensitivity to what Jesus put forth. Think on things that are pure, and lovely, etc. All of what we stand for, is torn apart. So, despite the greatness of the realism in the movie, that doesn’t mean it’s ok for children or teens. We must strive, to educate and teach our children what God thinks, not man’s opinions.

Honestly, there is hardly anything that the entertainment world gives us that is good to watch or hear. Think people… do you actually think Jesus would be watching 95% of what is shown or listened too… Christians need to stand, on The rock. Not be rocked.

But compromise, apathy, complacency entered our church doors. Preaching sin is not popular… but popularity won’t work with Jesus. He said people will hate you because of me. So, why do us Christians waver in a mixed up world, where values have no value? Because following the crowd, rather than fleeing from the crowd, is what reigns.

Think with eternity as your goal. Forget the flesh we like to pamper… and focus on what is tangible, everlasting… Jesus, your Lord and Saviour… there is no movie, then, ——The greatest story ever told… the script was written just for you!!!…

God bless all who read and understand, and be dead to this world, but waiting for, the glory to come, where you will be truly “alive,” not sink, but drink The Living Water, wow… thank you for allowing me to share.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4
Alisa, age 62 (USA)
I find it hard to believe, as well as saddening to find so many “Christians” who are willing to sit through movies like this one. My husband and I were excited about seeing the special effects, but were not expecting nudity in a PG-13 film. We walked out when Rose began her “unveiling” and waited in the hall what seemed like eternity for this scene to pass. We finally got up and left during the explicit sex scene and got our money back. I felt violated and angry. Angry at Hollywood for ruining the minds a lives of our youth and angry at Christians for sitting through such filth. If you want to see an inspirational version of the “Titanic”, rent the original with Barbara Stanwyck and Clifton Webb.
A. H. Frank
What a waste of $200 Million. After having my hopes elevated by “Amistad,” Hollywood has dashed them again. The first half of the movie plays like a steamy afternoon soap. An engaged young woman from a wealthy family finds instant true love with a penniless, rambling young stud aboard a doomed love boat. He’s an artist, she poses nude for him, but after praising Picasso he strangely draws her like an air-brushed centerfold (you’d have thought he’d put both eyes on one side of the face, and her nose on her forehead).

They follow up with sex in the back seat of a car in the cargo hold (why else would there be a car there?). The characterizations are straight from Karl Marx… all the rich are shallow, conceited self-absorbed louts who deserve to die. They are also the only ones shown attending a church service. All the poor are “real people” who are locked in the lower decks laughing, dancing and drinking (till they drop).

God is mentioned many times in this Victorian setting, but only as an adjective preceding “damned”. Even facing death no one prays, although someone blocks everyone’s escape while quoting the 23rd Psalm… hey, this is a 90’s update on a gone-by culture.

Seeing a near full scale Titanic replica sink was novel. Even here there was little heroism (except for the two flushed lovers). Chauvinism without the chivalry. Even giving women and children priority on the life boats was a dazed and half-hearted order from the captain. A movie well worth missing. The production money should have gone to charity.
Leo DePaul, age 48
Let us say from the start before the curtain rose, my wife and I felt guilty thinking that the victims of the 1912 tragedy would be horrified to think that we were preparing to watch their story as entertainment. Now having watched it, we feel even more so that someone is getting rich off such human tragedy. We also agree largely with the comments made here by Chris Beach and Helene Haulti. How this got a PG-13 rating instead of an R escapes us. The love story was lame with two practically children playing immoral adult roles… meeting and having sex in a two day period and equating this with true love.

A more poignant and interesting love story would have been to explore the story of the old couple who, rather than separate, chose to lay down and die together after years of devoted commitment to one another. (But Hollywood doesn’t apparently know enough about this subject to think they could make it interesting or believable). They could have shaved off nearly an hour by paring down the scenes of the couple running through flooded hallways, up stairs, down stairs, through more flooded hallways, to locked doors and gates, through more flooded hallways, ad infinitum (ad nauseum).

What stupidity to keep going further below deck on a sinking ship! We did thoroughly enjoy the realism and human drama of the gut-wrenching choices that were made, the heroism of others(not the main characters)and historical details. We drove away from the movie wishing that the director had made this a successful documentary rather than cashing in on a weak love story and exploiting the loss of hundreds and hundreds of real human lives. But instead it is a commercial success bringing in teens and pre-teens by the droves—who should not be there. What a waste of such potential. It COULD have truly been a classic movie for all time!
Rand E. and Maggie Morgan, ages 40 and 38
I was ashamed of myself for having taken my kids to see this movie. It is my strong belief that they should not be exposed to the type of language that was in this movie. What is the rationale for the PG-13 rating?
Randy Clark
If the movie did not contain the nudity, I would recommend it to every person I knew. The nudity did not only detract from the quality of the film, but also was out of character for the actress.
George R. Sooley, DC
I’ll keep this short. I agree with those who find it sad that some “Christians” have no problem with this movie. I too was angry to find blatant profanity and nudity cleverly wrapped up in this huge waste of $200 million. But it goes way beyond that for me. Not only was the dialog sophomoric and shallow, but aside from the two main characters, the acting was horrible. Leave it to Hollywood (once again) to ruin a classic piece of history with a lack of creativity and vision. There’s more skill and imagination in 10 seconds of “Sense and sensibility” than 3 hours of “Titanic”.
Chris Beach, age 35
I’m relieved to find out from your Web page that other Christians were as shocked and upset as I was to find nudity in a PG-13-rated film. This movie should have been rated R, without a doubt. I have sent e-mail to Paramount Studios expressing my concerns—if you have similar concerns, then I encourage you to send your comments as well. Their web site is at www.paramount.com. We can’t protect our children (and our OWN hearts and minds) from everything, but we should do what we CAN.
Melissa Tolentino, Age 34
My Husband and I took our 13 and 16 year old boys to see this movie as a family outing before Christmas. We were shocked and disappointed that there was frontal nudity and blatant sex in this movie. Not to mention the porno drawings, foul language and the glorification of immorality that was throughout this movie. I am so sorry that we didn’t walk out of this movie. I apologized to my boys that I took them to this movie and I certainly asked God for forgiveness for taking my boys to see pornography wrapped in such a pretty package. My question would be what part of pornography and immorality would Jesus say is tolerable for anyone at ANY age to see?

How can we as Christians comfortably see this movie, ignore the sin and recommend it for others to see because of the lovely story and the great special effects? I am concerned that our standard of purity is so low. How can we call ourselves God’s Children, when we live like the world and have no conscience toward sin if it is wrapped up so pretty. What would Jesus do or say?
Janis Kelbert, age 39
Negative—One of the positively deluded positive reviewers posting here says “I saw a young man of good character drawing a beautiful woman, much the way he would a beautiful sunset… As a Christian, of course I can’t condone their behaviour in the car, and I really don’t think the scene was needed…” Wake up and smell the manipulation buddy! Good character?! After they have hot steamy premarital sex in her fiancé’s car? Get a clue. And, of course, that sex scene was completely necessary to the plot and agenda of the movie.

Yes, I said agenda. Do you think it is at all irrelevant that, while making the movie “Titanic,” James Cameron was cheating on his fourth wife with Suzy Amis, the actress he cast as Lizzy Calvert? [Wikipedia] Do you think it is an accident that the hero of the movie is a fornicator, and the egotistical and cowardly villain is portrayed as being religious? Considering the pervasive depravity of this world’s culture, that this movie is popular and has made billions is no great surprise.

That professed followers of Christ would recommend it, even take their teenage daughters to see it, is unspeakably insane. We Christians are using this world’s sewers for a feeding trough and are, like Peter, warming our hands at the fire of Christ’s enemies. BTW, the high rating for filmmaking quality only makes the low rating for moral content more noteworthy. A lie spoken with eloquence is far more dangerous than one that is merely mumbled.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Don, age 61 (USA)
Negative—There’s only one reason this movie is a smash… Nudity. Granted, the effects are well done, but if Jack drew flowers instead of naked women, the attendance would be down ⅓. I don’t mean to be judgemental, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24 NIV). I didn’t see the 3D version, having seen what to expect in the original. There’s enough offensive material in this to tip the rating to an “R” IMHO. James Cameron is a fine film maker, but I think he could have toned this film down a bit and still have a great epic. Give us one of those Mr. Cameron. “I’m king of the world!” (Jack from Titanic.) “My kingdom is not of this world.” (Jesus. John 18:36 NIV)
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Jeff, age 55 (USA)
Negative—Rose is not an admirable woman. I have seen her compared to Scarlett O'Hara in “Gone with the Wind,” but at least Scarlett was not totally selfish. Sure, she could be a pill at times, but at the end of the day, she still helped her family out and she was more blinded by Ashley than anything. Rose coldly abandons her mother and fiance for a guy she hardly knows. As far as I could tell, Cal wasn’t even abusive to Rose. Yes, he did hit her, but it was for cheating on him. To act like he was some kind of villain is absurd. Perhaps he wasn’t a man of completely noble character, but rarely are people the caricatures this movie portrays.

This movie also leaves out so many stories of faith on the Titanic. The sets and costumes are accurate, but this is a Hollywood/secularist way to make mammon off a terrible tragedy.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 5
Helen (USA)
Comments from young people
We all know the story of the Titanic, but there is a different perspective when you put faces on those thousands of people on board. The passengers had real feelings and emotions. During the movie, I felt as if I was on the boat myself, experiencing what they experienced. The whole movie was very thought provoking. I wondered “if I was on that ship would I stay to help people, or would I fend for myself?” The two young lovers were willing to die for each other, and this touched me. Also, I thought about how unfair it was that people were judged by class and money.(THe crew let the most “valuable” people on the lifeboats first.) This movie is very intense and real. I think adults and mature teenagers(not kids!!!) will enjoy it. There is everything in this film: a beautiful love story, spectacular effects, powerful acting, etc. Bring a hankie and enjoy one of the best movies of the year!
Diana, age 16
“Titanic” was the saddest and, also, the best movie I have ever seen. I usually don’t go for those sentimental romances, but this was so realistic. The actors were really good, and, besides a little bit of bad language, the script was wonderful. Other than the one scene with about 2 seconds of nudity (also considering the fact that they do a pretty good job of covering it and nothing happens) the entire movie was exceptionally clean in comparison to most of today’s secular films. About what age groups this film is appropriate for, it depends on what your standards are. This movie isn’t nearly bad enough to be rated R, but when I was 13, I wouldn’t have been interested in it, not because of the language or nudity, but because the story line would have been boring. I am definitely going to get this when it comes out on video.
Hannah Sanders, age 14
Negative—This movie is a terrible depiction of the tragedy that happened in 1912! The moviemaking and acting is horrid and stupid, I will never understand why this movie won awards. James Cameron The “great director” did a terrible job, he got historical facts wrong, like the flashlights the people were using on the ship were not invented in 1912, and “Rose” and “Jack” would NOT have been able to meet up on the ship AT ALL! Back then, rules between first class passengers and regular passengers were extremely strict. And if I remember correctly, if breasts are shown for more than a few seconds in a movie, it grants an R rating, so the PG-13 rating confuses me, I mean come on, the movie wasn’t made in the 80’s.

In my opinion, back then, I don’t think a rich women would give her body up to an unwealthy man so easily, and within two days of meeting one another?! Overall, an impure, stupid, and dumb movie.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: none
Sam, age 17 (Canada)
Comments from non-viewers
Negative— A tragic love story of two young people just a bit older than me completely turns off the true heroic accounts of what really happened on the Titanic in 1912. Ridden with unnecessary and sinful scenes and foul language which prevent me from ever wanting to view this movie, the “Titanic” gives a secular and stereotypical side view that, as said by the reviewer above, is completely ridiculous. A friend at school was discussing the movie at lunch one day to another girl two years younger than me. She described the movie as “a girl falls in love with this guy she meets on the ship, but she is restricted from marrying him because her other fiancé she doesn’t like is jealous and a jerk to her.” Yes, those were her exact words. It’s sad, and James Cameron could certainly do better.
My Ratings: Moral rating: / Moviemaking quality:
Sophia, age 15 (USA)

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