Not bad, but could have been better.

Rating: 6/10 (29 July 2003)

After watching the movie and the Discovery Channel Documentary on the Gangs of New York it appears to be somewhat accurate. The movie is not necessarily a true story but was based on some actual events.
First, the movie was a bit too long. At almost 3 hours really the only movies that can get away with that length is Schindlers List and Titanic. This is a part of history that many many people are not familiar with.

I also had a problem with some of the casting, mainly Cameron Diaz. I would have liked to see a lesser know actress-it would have made it much more realistic plus her character was not anything extraordinary that anyone else couldn't have done it. Cameron is just to big and overpaid to make anything real to life. I doubt she was worth the absurd amount she was probably paid.

Daniel Day Lewis `was superb! Impressive performance.
I am still undecided on Leo's performance. It was okay but did not blow me away.
I was not sure what they were doing with the accents. I heard dialect going back and forth from a loose Irish accent to a New York accent.

Very violent film, much more fighting and blood than most Vietnam war movies.
6/10.