the Dalaverse

I wouldn't call many aspects of the love story original, certainly not the hero sacrificing himself for the heroine (although you have a point about Rose saving Jack with the axe. That was cool.). Cal, his henchman, and the mother are all fairly one-dimensional. The love story on its own, though neatly and convincingly portrayed and constructed, is fairly unremarkable -- rich girl falling for poor boy and defying odds to be with him. Nor is the general story of the Titanic sinking, because that had been done before. What makes the film is its attention to historical detail, its outstanding main and supporting performances (Kathy Bates, Victor Garber, Gloria Stuart, the officers, the third class passengers, etc.), and technology. The film about the boat might not have worked without the love story -- but the love story wouldn't have worked without all the context, and not a whit of it all would have worked without the special effects, even the setting of the real modern-day wreck.

I REALLY have to see "The Prestige"...