all-time great epic

Rating: Null/10 (6 March 2003)

An immigrants' nation - this is the idea of America, right? Ever since the Mayflower America has been made of and by immigrants. Isn't it supercilious to speak of oneself as a native American when the real natives had been killed by one's own ancestors? This is what makes Gangs of NY a real and true American epic movie, dealing with exactly this illogical notion and the hatred and violence resulting of it. Who has the right to say what matters, who is in charge and how solve the problems? The idea of the script is brilliant - Cameron Diaz as the one standing between protagonist and antagonist who themselves represent the "old" and the "new" order and understanding both. Day-Lewis as the father figure who is amiable, but violent and excessive. DiCaprio as the lost son fighting against injustice and corruption, less violent but angry in the same degree. The topic is modern and timeless at the same time. The ending of this epic is a compromise: there still is a mightier force that kills what is a threat to humanity - and this seems also bad and brutal because its representative is a human being, too, after all. And the representative of the "new" order is heavily injured and seems desillusioned because he has realized that he cannot fight the mightier who hold the real power (money). This is the philosophic dimension of the movie which I like most. There is also the brilliant photography, the exact editing (as always by Thelma Schoonmaker), the impressive acting (mostly by Day-Lewis) and - a rather unnerving soundtrack. The latter really annoyed me because the Irish music did not sound Irish at all. It doesn't really matter. BUT: Congratulations to an all-time great, Mr Scorsese!