Good but not great

Rating: 8/10 (20 December 2002)

Considering how rare well acted movies are, Gangs of New York is one of the best pictures of 2002. Day Lewis is phenomenal, and DiCaprio and Diaz are solid. The movie also enjoys a solid ending which only Scorsese could have made, saving it from conventionality and mediocrity.
The bulk of the film is interesting, but not grand. The editing inexplicably is sloppy. The camerawork is excellent, the sets, costumes, lighting, and overall tone is unremittingly dark, gritty, and sometimes downright bizarre.
The film's denouement dodges the expected (and would-be cliched) ending (I'll not give spoiling specifics though). This made the film. The odd ending was oddly affecting, and ultimately powerful. Gangs of New York is worth seeing. 8/10