Review of Gangs of New York (2002) by Filipeneto — 24 Feb 2018

This film shows how Amsterdam Vallon tries to avenge the death of his father in a gangs fight by removing the power and influence of Bill 'The Butcher' Cutting, his father's murderer. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film has a script by Jay Cocks and a cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis and Cameron Diaz. It was nominated for ten Academy Awards.

This film is interesting but, as far as I realized, doesn't correspond to reality. The historical accuracy remained away from this movie most of the time. But the script is interesting. It has some points that I don't understand but it works, focusing on the fight between two rival gangs for control of the poor neighborhood of Five Points. The most powerful gang, the "Natives", thought the Italian and Irish immigrants were a danger to America, forgetting that they had also been immigrants in the colonial period (the true Americans are the indigenous tribes who were butchered to build USA). From this seed, the film shows how the US received waves of immigrants from Europe and how it was important for the country. The film also focuses on the civil war, the differences of opinion around it, and the poverty of the poorest sections of society.

The actors were well in their roles but Daniel Day-Lewis deserves a special mention. He monopolizes the film with a careful interpretation of a particularly complex and difficult character. DiCaprio was also good, but remained in a role he knows well: the good guy, very cute, seeking justice. Cameron Diaz also brings no surprises, with her usual dose of Latin charm giving greater knavery to her character, already quite opportunistic and cunning. Action scenes are many and quite graphic, so the most sensitive stomachs should be prepared. The visual and sound effects are good and help to enhance the film. The scenarios were very well imagined, although some of them are too unrealistic, and the same can be said of the costumes. Nevertheless, the film is generally reliable enough to be appreciated. The soundtrack is a disappointment because it has a sonority too "rock" and doesn't fit well in a period film. It seems copied from films like "300" or "Mad Max".