A well-paced, entertaining-enough historical blockbuster that lacks the narrative and thematic maturity set by other films.

Rating: 7/10 (26 May 2014)

Martin Scorsese's grim and elaborate depiction of civil war New York. Gangs of New York sculpts an intriguing detailing of society and a compelling narrative driven around the evolving nature of Leonardo DiCaprio's Amsterdam Vallon and Daniel Day-Lewis' Bill 'The Butcher' Cutting relationship with each other.
The huge, and I mean gigantic, ensemble cast are all consistently good enough to grant adequate immersion, even Cameron Diaz isn't terrible, and of course Daniel Day-Lewis is absolutely flawless; every time he acts he creates one of the defining, most detailed and utterly memorable characters of its decade. The production is extensive and impressive in scope; featuring numerous detailed sets, countless costumes, and a seemingly infinite number of extras.
It is in fact in Martin Scorsese's direction of Gangs of New York that the film falls from greatness, being amateurish at times even; the cinematography and score are unnoteworthy; the voice-over and flashbacks are expository and stops the film from transcending into narrative and thematic maturity (even with the adult content).
But nevertheless, Gangs of New York is a well-paced, accessible, entertaining and even thrilling historical blockbuster, featuring a wonderfully indulgent production and a glorious and astoundingly good Daniel Day-Lewis as Bill 'The Butcher'.