Martin Scorsese's tale of revenge and corruption comes with a grip

Rating: 8/10 (17 June 2016)

From some of Martin Scorsese's crime classics over the past three decades, we have a seen the gritty and violent portrayal of life as a mobster thirsty for drugs and rank up the gangster ladder. This historical set piece however, sets the gangster genre in a whole another world that very few have seen before. This crime-drama takes us back to the Civil War-era when the South ran rampant with slavery and the North was left coping in mass corruption and crime. This soon lead to southerners rebelling against the Union that tried keeping slavery occupied while President Abraham Lincoln fought to abolish. This Martin Scorsese picture tells a grueling story of revenge and corruption in a gritty historical representation of New York, while tackling the gangster genre on an epic scale. Taking place in 1846 in the Five Points district of New York, young Irish immigrant Amsterdam (played by Leonardo Dicaprio) witnesses the cold-blooded murder of his father Priest Vallon (played by Liam Neeson) by the hands of Bill The Butcher (played by Danial Day- Lewis) who opposes the entrance of Irish immigrants in New York. Sixteen years pass, Amsterdam returns to the Five Points district where crime has ran rampant, riots run amok, and the town run by Bill The Butcher. There he meets an old acquaintance Johnny (played by Henry Thomas) who just so happens to work for Bill as well as pickpocket thief Jenny Everdeane (played by Cameron Diaz) who he develops a relationship with, while seeking revenge for his father's murder.
Compared to Martin Scorsese's other works on his resume, this film doesn't reach the depth that makes it thoroughly compelling. Nonetheless, it is a captivating journey brought together by Jay Cocks' ambitious screenplay and the substance of Scorsese's direction. The beginning scene featuring the massive gang fight between the American natives and the Irish not only sets the story on an intelligent start but also offers one of the most pulse- pounding imagery ever put in a historical piece. The entire scene is exuberantly shot with powerful cinematography. With shots showing victims stabbed, sliced, and beaten with clubs and cleavers; it does get quite bloody and disconcerting to watch, but there is no denying the scene falls nothing of brilliance. The more ambitious aspect aside is the portrayal of the life in New York during the 1800s. The moody costume design, the flashy historical set design, and scenes featuring violent riots sum up to provide a deeply authentic representation of New York's nightmarish society during the Civil War-era. The narrative on the other hand, is where the film meets it's faults. Though the plot stand solid, there are a few places that lack substance. The romance between Leonardo Dicaprio and Cameron Diaz is not what I say terrible or cheesy but feels a little out of place. Overall, the film overcomes these flaws with a captivating plot dealing on the 'good versus evil' story between Amsterdam and Bill The Butcher. The conflict between the two is, at both a physical and emotional level, rollicking from when they first meet eyes to the powerful climatic battle towards the end. Thanks to the performances by Leonardo Dicarprio and Daniel Day-Lewis, these leads simply soar; though Lewis serves as the biggest show stealer here with his tyrannical portray of the corrupt main antagonist. The performance he gives so arresting, it's quite scary.
Gangs of New York is an ambitious and fascinating revenge tale by Martin Scorsese featuring some supremely memorable performances by a talented cast. While this isn't Scorsese's most compelling picture, it is definitely memorable. Yes, there is plenty of violence and bloodshed to experience, but it only showcases a realistic portrayal of New York during one of America's harshest periods in history.