Scorsese's masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (25 May 2016)

I was working at the cinema when Scorsese's epic period film Gangs of New York came out in 2002, and the first time I watched it, I was blown away. From the visceral opening battle, to the brutal finale, I loved every minute of the film. Scorsese has never been shy about violence on screen. After all, this is the director who gave us the brutal gang murders in Goodfellas and the torture scene in Casino.
I had never read Herbert Asbury's book about 19th century gangs in New York City, nor did I know about this obscure period of New York history. Focusing on the saloon halls, gambling dens and winding alleys of the Bowery and the Five Points district of Lower Manhattan, the book evokes the destitution and violence of a turbulent era. This film made me want to know so much more about the people, the battles, the politics and the blood-soaked tribal warfare.
Leonardo DiCaprio, in his first collaboration with Scorsese, is unfortunately the weakest part of the film. It's not that he's bad, and I do not agree that his accent is shaky, it's just that he was still reasonably green in his career. The supporting cast is a very strong ensemble of great character actors like Brendan Gleeson, John C. Reilly and Jim Broadbent. Daniel Day-Lewis, well known for his method action and complete immersion in his roles, gives the greatest performance of his career as the brutal gang leader Bill the Butcher. When Bill yells at Liam Neeson's Priest Vallon "Then may the Christian Lord guide my hand against your Roman Popery!", I was gripped to the screen, watching the warring clans hacking and stabbing until the snow is stained red.
I would love to see the original 4 hour cut of the film, before it was whittled down to it's current length, and that's a rare thing for me to want a longer film. Michael Ballhaus's cinematography is amazing, and Howard Shore's rousing score is incredible. The best film of 2002 (The Academy award winner, Chicago, is overrated rubbish). Gangs of New York is my favorite film of the decade. Highly recommended.