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Amazon.co.uk Review
The film covers an array of New York historical topics--from the corrupt government of William "Boss" Tweed to the riots that rocked the community when President Lincoln tried to impose military conscription--while the actual plot wobbles slightly as Amsterdam gets involved with a winsome pickpocket (Cameron Diaz) and wavers in his vengeful resolve. DeCaprio and Diaz aren't quite strong enough characters or players to hold things together--as in a few other recent Scorsese films, heroes are let off easily though they seem guilty of as many appalling crimes as the villains--but they have to compete with an award-worthy study in moustachioed menace and corruption from Day-Lewis and an array of the best supporting actors from either side of the Atlantic (Jim Broadbent, John C Reilly, Brendan Gleeson, David Hemmings). --Kim Newman
On the DVD: Gangs of New York comes with a decent set of extras on this two-disc set. Most notable is Martin Scorsese's commentary, the first of its kind on DVD. Taking a concise approach with some moderate pauses, Scorsese avoids a scene-specific analysis, but his rich knowledge both of the historical period and of cinema history is phenomenal, as is the account of his 30-year struggle to get the film made. Documentaries include costume and set design; a tour of the set with Scorsese and production designer Dante Ferretti (with optional 360-degree view); and a well-researched and insightful historical Discovery Channel documentary. "The History of the Five Points" is accompanied by some study notes and a vocab guide, all adding to the rich historical background that this extra material provides. Less insightful and more glossy are the obligatory trailer and "Making of" documentary, complete with husky voiceover. A choice of Dolby or DTS mixes are on offer sound-wise and, as you'd expect from such a beautifully filmed epic, the transfer is superb. --Laura Bushell
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"They don't speak English in New York any more?",
By
This review is from: Gangs of New York [DVD] [2003] (DVD)
For a movie that was almost 3 hours, I never managed to get bored. Viewers will love to hate Daniel D. Lewis in this role. What a performance! Many ancestors could have been part of these gangs. How people survive the times is a thought that comes to mind while watching. I can only hope that the violence depicted in the film was somewhat inflated. Have things changed since the late 1800s? Sure, but gangs still exist and corruption is more rampant than ever. In the 1840s. Natives and Irsih Americans fight to the death in New York, resulting in the death of Irish leader Priest Vallon (Liam Neeson) and Native Bill The Butcher's (Daniel Day Lewis) undisputed rule of the city's criminal underworld. Vallon's son, Amsterdam (Di Caprio) escapes. And after growing into an anonymous young man, returns to reap his revenge, yet unwittingly becomes the butcher's protégé...
Scorsese was bringing a long treasured project to the screen with Gangs, creating a hype that suffered from setbacks, delayed releases and mixed reviews. In hindsight what we have is no masterpiece, but it remains an undeniably good film, with many fine qualities to make up for its flaws. Scorsese's recreation of the city is stunning: the level of detail completely immerses the viewer into an atmosphere scarcely read of in History books. Moreover, the rich criminal world depicted here maintains a delicate balance of understandability and chaos. Scorsese couples this with his flair for music to create a truly intoxicating mood. The photography reinforces the overall effect tenfold, wonderfully sustained and carrying scattered sparks of pure genius. For example: in one shot, Scorsese pans from newly arrived immigrants who are welcomed, given the nationality, provided a uniform, and enlisted into the Union army to coffins of dead soldiers being unloaded on another peer. Ultimately, a film lives or dies by its screenplay and acting, and herein lies Gangs of New York's polarizing point. Whether you focus on the slightly uneven story (oddly shortened in places by pressured editing) or the fantastic performances will determine whether Gangs makes it or breaks it, but for its sheer visual power and acting it deserves to be seen. Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Brendan Gleeson and John C. Reilly are all a joy to see when on top form, but the true feast here is Daniel Day Lewis's grand-standing, violent and xenophobic Bill The Butcher. A role that Robert De Niro (for whom it was originally intended over the years). The chances of this film becoming a favorite are slim, but at the very least you'll walk away with an indelible character to remember.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Uneven,
By A Customer
This review is from: Gangs of New York [DVD] [2003] (DVD)
There's no getting away from the fact that this is Day-Lewis' movie and that the seriously miscast DiCarprio and Diaz just can't cope with his presence - this inequality between the main players capsizes the film.Having said that, there's much to appreciate here - the sets, score, costumes and the supporting actors (Broadbent & Reilly particularly) are hugely impressive. This being a Scorsese film, there is a lot of violence and it's as visceral and gruesome as you'd expect (especially the open battle in the snow). Worth watching for Day-Lewis mesmerising study in brutality.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An entertaining, very well-made film.,
By Bill Peter "Bill Peter" (Malaysia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Gangs of New York [DVD] [2003] (DVD)
Being the "Victor Meldrew" that I am, I always read the worst reviews first, and this film has a lot on this site, mainly by people who didn't like the violence. I'm not too keen on graphic violence either, but in this film it probably has a purpose. Martin Scorsese is a serious, non-exploitive, film maker, so I'm guessing he might have been commenting on the "romancing" of violence by some people.
1. There are parallels in this film to the "Troubles" in Northern Ireland betwen the Catholic "Irish", and the Protestant supporters of the union within the United Kingdom. The Irish rebels are often romanticised by foreigners of Irish extraction, who fund rebel groups. The brutality of the violence in this film demonstrates that there is no romance to fighting. 2. Similarily, gang violence in modern America is also romanticised, and glorified by gangsta rappers. It is made to sound attractive. As this film demonstrates, there is nothing attractive about gang violence. I found the film very well-made and good looking. It could have been a Ridley Scott film, and I mean that as a compliment. There were some good performances, especially Daniel Day-Lewis and Cara somebody, who played Hell Cat Maggie, who made Sarah Palin seem like a teddy bear. In addition, Cameron Diaz was far more attractive in this film than she is wiggling her bum in films like she normally does, and her acting was the best I've seen her do.
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