Entertaining, but doesn't live up to it's potential.

Rating: Null/10 (24 December 2002)

I have been eagerly awaiting this movie's release since I first learned that Scorcese was adapting The Gangs of New York to film. Although I thoroughly enjoyed the film, It fell way short of it's potential.
Having read two excellent books on the period, (The Gangs of New York and Low Life), I felt that of all the colorful characters of that time and stories that could have been told, this films simple story of revenge and love was pretty unworthy of such an epic undertaking.
The two real strengths of the movie were the sets and Daniel Day Lewis as Bill the Butcher. The Five Points neighborhood of New York where this film takes place, (all traces of which have long since been completely removed, even to the point that the streets do not even come to five points any longer), vividly comes back to life on film. The director made a great effort to recreate the street life as it would have looked back then. The only flaw, was that the scenes that took place at night, showed the streets completely deserted, like some sleepy little village, which it was not.
The other strength, Danial Day Lewis as Bill the Butcher, was a great character played by a great actor and hence the only character with any depth. Even though he portrayed the villain, he was the only character I really cared about.
In conclusion I think this is an important film, because it touches on a part of American history that alot of people don't know much about. But for those who want to know about the gangs of New York, read the book, the truth is much more interesting than fiction.