Review of Gangs of New York (2002) by Yves E — 19 Dec 2013

Gangs of new york is a very flawed film, that much is sure, it feels unfinished, like it's missing the more meaty parts of it's narrative, also the accents are a big downside, there are terrible, cartoon OIRISH accents all around, Cameron Diaz being the biggest offender, plus her and DiCaprio have zero chemistry, which also hurts the story somewhat.

But the unevenness of the across the board performances are saved by the incredible presence of Daniel Day Lewis, who is simply incendiary as Bill The Butcher, and by Scorsese's ambition and visionary reach, this is indeed an impressive film, big rich and filled with the sort of detail and pungent, evocative atmosphere that movie fans will lap up.

It's all very cold to the touch, not once in it's near three hours do you connect with any of the characters and the central story feels under-cooked, but although mid level Scorsese, it still stands above your average directors best.