Reviews & Ratings for
Gangs of New York (2002)

Gangs Of New York brings together two of the finest actors of two generations, Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis. Directed by Martin Scorsese, it also stars Liam Neeson in a short role, and Cameron Diaz.

Leo moves away from his Jack-Dawson-like roles which mostly base on his unbelievable good looks, and charts dark territories with this one. He is adequate to play the role, to say the least. He visibly can't get into the skin of the character, part of which can be attributed to the impeccable Daniel Day-Lewis on the other end. He breathes fire into every second he is on the screen, effortlessly overshadowing a rather brilliant DiCaprio and the rest of the stellar cast. The scene where he talks Leo about his father draped in an American flag is the one that stuck with me the longest. Cameron Diaz plays her role wonderfully. Liam Neeson makes an impact in a short but important role.

The production of this movie is MIND-BOGGLING. New York is constructed from scratch as aesthetically pleasing as possible. The set plays a major role in the now immortal scene where DDL delivers a killing monologue atop Leo. The story and screenplay are something we've been seeing for years. Scorsese brings practically nothing new to the table in this regard, but the treatment is commendable regardless. Special mention to the opening score and fight. One of the best opening sequences of all time.

Watch this if you like war and have some time to kill.

It is yet another masterpiece by Martin Scorsese. He comes up with a revenge saga unlike any other seen. Based in the 19th century New York, it tells the tale of The Five Points. Whose ruler Bill "the butcher" is a feared and honorable man to whom everyone pays protection money. He has reached this position by killing the leader of the Irish immigrants Priest Vallon whose son(Leonardo Di Caprio comes to avenge his father's death. Scorsese finely manages to show a New York very different from the one we see now, where police doesn't have any effect and local lords rule, where crime is an everyday happening and there is no fear of the authority and where there is no place for immigrants. The use of violence is perfect and at times seems poetic. It captures the various sides of its characters and no one is shown as being black or white, everyone is grey which is what makes the movie so real. It has a phenomenal climax which shows how everything burns in the fire of revenge and that there is nothing gained for it.