Gangs of New York

The script is a questionable mess that probably wants to be something in the style of The Godfather or Once Upon a Time in America, but in the end it is just a patchwork of scenes. But those scenes are so impressively delivered and acted that it doesn't really matter that much. (01/15/2007)

One great (Day-Lewis) and other good (DiCaprio, Reilly, Gleeson) performances are met with a lousy script, Scorsese's tired direction and outrageously long runtime. After about an hour, the fight of gangs against gangs turns into the viewer’s fight against boredom... And boredom will win out in the end. You could count the impressive scenes on one hand, and the film is quite strange in that it wants to feel like an intimate drama and a sweeping epic at times, but it doesn't quite manage either. I was also struck by the music. I don't mean the Howard Shore music, but the modern music that plays in the opening battle - I seem to have misunderstood something about its use. Not to mention the final slow tune by U2.__P.S. Liam Neeson was here for maybe only five minutes, but he still impressed me the most after Daniel Day-Lewis. (01/22/2012)

That organized crime played a significant role in the building of American society, not only during Prohibition, is widely known, and the intertwining of American political elites at the local level with the underworld could be the basis for epic TV series that would grab the attention of crowds while still staying true to reality. Scorsese could have undoubtedly directed a magnificent story without using exaggerated elements like in the case of Gangs of New York. Even the opening scene of the battle between two clans looks like something out of a dark medieval fantasy, full of characters who seem to have just stepped out of a sadomasochistic roleplay session. It's all shot for effect, with brutal violence and exaggeration that would be more fitting for a comic book. What works perfectly is the scene that truly breathes a romanticized, yet still somewhat accurate, history of America's most famous metropolis. The cast, led by Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis, is also solid. However, from a director of Martin Scorsese's caliber, I expected something more than a costume drama with a B-movie theme based on these non-existent underworld rituals and their glorification. The reality was much more down-to-earth. Overall impression: 60%. (01/03/2011)

In spite of its duration, it was a film that captivated me and I was hardly bored. It beautifully portrays the atmosphere of the time and the rather harsh period (the fights were really worth it). Great music, cinematography, sets and decent performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis. The film lacks zest in places, but as a whole it looks very good and decent - a pure 4*. (12/23/2009)

Very good. Martin Scorsese's direction is very precise, the casting is amazing, Leonardo DiCaprio is great, Daniel Day-Lewis is devilish and Cameron Diaz is seductive. Despite the long running time, the film is not boring and impresses especially with its gritty period setting, the production design and the rather rough scenes, which could have been tightened up and I would have been more satisfied. 80% (12/21/2015)