Gangs of New York

Gangs of New York was released in 2002 and this was right around the time I started getting into films, but was way too young to be allowed into cinemas to see this at the time so I had to wait until it appeared on Channel 4 or one of the five channels we had. Long, violent and did I mention long? For me, I wasn't mature enough to appreciate films like this at the time and returned a few years later catching the parts I missed as a student but didn't really care for it. I had already enjoyed Scorsese's other films by this point but there was something missing that I couldn't put my finger on and here many years later I rewatched it to see how it holds-up.

Credit should first be given to Scorsese for highlighting a moment in American history that rarely reaches the big screen, and this is the real-life gangs in New York between 1840-1860, while also including the draft riots. This was an ambitious move and the visuals that favour practical sets for the most-part look great, and added an air of authenticity that immersed me in what life there could have been like. The story begins with Leonardo DiCaprio's father (Liam Neeson) being killed in a battle between the Irish immigrants and white "native Americans" who are led by Daniel Day-Lewis' Bill the Butcher. After receiving an education, DiCaprio returns to New York, which is now under native power, and plots to have revenge against Bill who has control over Five Points area of New York City.

With cinematography by Michael Ballhaus, editing from Thelma Schoonmaker and the score composed by Howard Shore, Scorsese truly went all-in with this one to create a true American epic. A young DiCaprio also shines in this role but he and his (decent) Irish accent are completely eclipsed by Day-Lewis' mighty performance that chews apart every piece of scenery and makes for one hell of a villain. But despite an engaging first act and many fine performances, Gangs of New York is an uneven experience that loses its momentum half-way through. The problem falls somewhere within the main storyline that's overtly simple and Scorsese's desire to shoehorn the draft riots in the third act to add weight to the story. It was interesting to learn about what happened but this really didn't belong here.

I was ultimately disappointed with this given the visual scope and potential it had to be truly amazing and one of the director's best. History buffs might enjoy this but it's hard to recommend a film that ends as forgettably as this one. Gangs of New York is a fine effort that explores an interesting time in New York City's history and deserved to be made but it just needed a stronger story to make it as thrilling as it wanted to be.