Underrated Scorsese movie - up there with the top of his output

Rating: 9/10 (23 July 2016)

I don't have much to say about this other than 'watch it!' so I'll keep it brief. It's a fantastic movie, easily one of Scorcese's best and that comes from a long-time fan. Not perhaps up there with the best of his best works, such as TAXI DRIVER, GOODFELLAS, and CASINO, but certainly a top tier film that never disappoints from beginning to end despite the ample length and in-depth nature of the screenplay.
GANGS OF NEW YORK looks brilliant, with huge and elaborate sets, stirring music, great choreography, and period detail. This is a film that offers a vision of New York as never seen before; a city in its infancy, riven by gang violence. There are wonderful performances from everybody in the film, but standing above them all is Daniel Day-Lewis, who gives the best performance I've ever seen from this actor: absolutely fantastic, true-to-life work. Leonardo DiCaprio isn't quite great, but he's making a useful transition here from annoying teenage star of TITANIC to the subtle and complex performer of THE DEPARTED.
This film is very dark, grimy, and brutally violent in places, but then it needs to be. Although lengthy, the story is consistently engaging with the characters evolving and interacting with each other. It's finished off with a bleak ending which really makes you think. My final conclusion? This is a damned good movie.