Abysmal , trivial . Yes to quote an imdb critic , Scorsese's whoopsie daisy . To qoute myself Scorsese's Heavens Gate .

Rating: Null/10 (25 August 2003)

Probably edited by Harvey Weinstein . Firstly this film is terrible , emphasise terrible . Forget reviewers smitten with Scorsese's previous films , the critic princip surely is to judge the film on its own artistic merit , not the directors past excursions into mostly Paul Schraders cinematic blue prints . Lets note , before lavishing praise on the so called ' Greatest living american director ' that Scorsese has seldom written an original screenplay , can he write a screenplay ? Well Mean Streets was co written with Mardik Martin , and thats one of his best films . Perhaps he cant be bothered to conjure his own ideas , yes the hallmark of the autuer theory , instead directing writers literal creations. Like Kubrick an adapter of literary and historical subject matter. Why is this film an overblown epic ? Because thats all it is really , an overblown epic . The characters , save for Bill the Butcher , Monk , Johnny , Priest Vallon and Tweed , hey wait a minute... all the characters register credible except for Amsterdam whatever an Jenny something , who's to blame ? Who do you think ? Leonardo couldent act his way into a paper bag let alone out of one , he is like a puppet without strings , wooden and was clearly cast for marquee value . And Diz , she should stick to films that require her to only put jism in her hair and run around wearing an ensemble of gratuitous garments . They are simply terrible .
Worst Dialouge scene : - Jenny : Quite the pair of conversationalists arent you ? Amsterdam : Perhaps not , but were great thinkers ( wink ) Give me a break , i wanted BIll to ring both their next and lay them out on his butchers slab . The Se design , costumes , cinematography ? WHo cares , its all wrapped inside a routine romance/revenge story . AM i supposed to care here , and how insutling watching the dvd documentary , the cast and crew go go eyed , didactic , like i didnt know what happend in New York during the civil War . Second half feels rushed ( courtesy of Editor Harvey Weinstein ) disconnected and maudlin . THe battle scenes are unremarkable , more mtv than visual splender , sentimental , sobby music to pull your strings . The music throughout was excrutiating , but thats nothing compared to U2s prothetically titled The Hands that built America . I dont mind being bored by films , its not mu film and I'm just an ignorant observer i know that . 8 1/2 to me is very tedious , it is also a masterpiece critique of the artistic process . This is proddingly camp trash built around the not very revelatory fact that america wa born in the streets . If only Scorsese hadnt stumbled across the book at a friends house on the 1st Jan 1970 , he might not have laboured four years on this turkey .
Cant wait for Howard Hughs biopic The Aviator , guess whos in it ... ?