Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Delayed an entire year following massive post-production issues, this historical epic by famed director
Martin Scorsese was released during the height of Awards season, in December of 2002 -- eventually
doubling its $100-million dollar budget. Nominated for an impressive 10 Oscars, but failing to
win any of them, Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a young Irish immigrant living in New York
during the 1860's - who goes undercover, plotting against the leader of a gang of native Americans:
lead by Daniel Day-Lewis. DiCaprio is seamless in the role: faux accent and all, chewing
through the wordy and period-accurate dialect effortlessly. In one of his many nominated-roles,
Day-Lewis is astonishingly believable as always: speaking with a guttural, intellectual tone:
respectful of his enemies, but entirely uncompromising and frightening when dealing with them, remaking
on his longevity, he favors "The spectacle of fearsome acts". Decently holding her own
opposite these acting legends, Cameron Diaz is featured as the love interest, and female-foil...
as she begins her relationship with Leo by attempting to pick his pocket. John C. Reilly,
Jim Broadbent, Brendan Gleeson, and Liam Neeson round out the hugely talented supporting cast:
but none are featured or developed as much as I would have hoped. Expertly photographed,
there's no denying the amazing aptitude at which 19th century New York is recreated:
every last element is surprisingly detailed and authentic. Attempting to balance plot
threads involving class warfare struggles, the New York Draft Riots of 1863, a love story,
a revenge plot, and Manhattan politics - Scorsese's ambition unfortunately gets the better of
him: as even this picture's liberal 166-minute runtime isn't enough to make a compelling
picture out of everything. Scored beautifully and somberly by Howard Shore, this R-rated
film functions almost more effectively as a educational lesson on immigration relations
during the Civil War, than it does a cohesive drama. The opening and closing battle sequences
are however rather amazing: thrilling, gritty, violent, emotional, and brilliantly shot:
but the forgetful, confusing, and haphazard middle two hours represent nothing but wasted
potential. The most powerful image is the last, a shot of a grave overlooking Manhattan,
as the scene slowly fades forward in time, ending with the Twin Towers proudly on display.
When it works, the experience here is undeniably moving, engrossing, and exciting - but when
it's surrounded by such a poorly paced, and bloated plot: even the amazing acting, visuals,
and direction get overlooked. "Gangs Of New York", a "Forgettable story, arrestingly dramatic
action." Here's some of your reviews now from the comments.
"Gangs Of New York"... an EIGHT and a SEVEN. You appauled the visuals and acting, but didn't
care for the lackluster story, scoring the film a GREAT. I score the film a point lower,
but I definitely agree with that assessment: it was just too bloated for its own good,
unfortunately not one of Marty's better pictures, but definitely riveting entertainment at times
- I thought it was COOL.