Terrific & terrible

Rating: Null/10 (23 January 2003)

See it for the spectacle and for Daniel Day -Lewis. Can't think of
another actor who could have burned up the screen with such a
badly written part. It should have been ridiculous but it was riveting.
DiCaprio was like a dead fish. With all the interesting historical
material to choose from Scorsese focused one of the silliest
testosterone sagas I've sat through. Others were disappointed that
Amsterdam didn't wipe out the Butcher in an epic fight. It seems
obvious to me that Scorsese knew it would have been laughable.
In fact I bet he really relished the beating Day-Lewis as the Butcher
gave DiCaprio a few scenes before. DiCaprio was an awful
casting decision he had no one but himself to blame for. But see
it anyway for the spectacle and the Day-Lewis star turn.