waste of talent

Rating: 1/10 (3 January 2003)

I am bit baffled by some of the comments and reviews about this film. It is almost as if I saw another version of the film or a completely different movie. Every one of the actors in this film wandered around, clueless, never showing any range whatsoever, and lost in a gargantuan production with no heart, sense of logic, or a semblance of a storyline. It is disappointing because the people involved have been wonderful in previous efforts. Why is it so hard to admit that even geniuses like Scorcese make mistakes? This is not within miles of his previous masterpieces. "Gangs" is bloated, boring, baffling, beautiful in a distant, garish, and strange way. It is unbelievable that with so many people involved no one had the guts to say "this is not working". Please open your eyes, be honest, and admit that sometimes films just don't work. Don't surrender yourself to a self-induced mirage caused by the fear to be perceived as clueless. Honestly, I was disappointed, and I just hope next time the master will get it right.