An incredible epic worth multiple viewings.

Rating: Null/10 (23 December 2002)

One thing can be guaranteed, you will never see another film like Gangs of New York. It's visually astounding, the performances are incredibly complex and nuanced, and Scorsese's unique approach to filmmaking is undeniable. Leo isn't a hero, he's a vulnerable, confused, and complicated human being. The same goes for Cameron Diaz, Henry Thomas, and DD Lewis. And anybody who says Daniel Day is just "hamming it up" has no understanding of method acting. His performance is on par with Brando in The Godfather and Orson Welles in Citizen Kane. The actors are not just archetypes, as is so typical with Hollywood films; they are complex and complicated humans who seem vulnerable, confused, and yet still driven by their beliefs. All of the negative reviews seem to be because people expected to find a Gladiator type revenge story. If you're only interested in a witty story or clever plot development, go rent Usual Suspects or Double Indemnity, and shut up. Martin Scorsese has created a WORLD with this film, not just a story. What he was trying to convey is what New York and America was actually like in the 1860's, and not just wow you with clever storytelling. This is a very dense film exporing every nook and cranny of a very complex place, and it will definitely require multiple viewings to fully digest the vast scope of this film, but the result is undeniable. Scorsese has created not just a story, but a world. If you're looking for mere storytelling, you're short changing yourself. Scorsese has shown America an ugly part of it's history that shouldn't be forgotten. Leo's voice-over sums it up best. "It wasn't so much a city, as a cauldron in which a city might someday be forged." The last line is incredibly poignant. Leo says "for the rest of time, it would be like no one ever even knew we was here". Well, thanks to Marty Scorsese, now everyone will know the story of the immigrants in New York and the story of how modern America was born from so much tribulation. Hat's off to Mr. Scorsese. I would rate this and Far From Heaven as the two best pictures of 2002.