Great historic film

Rating: 10/10 (20 December 2002)

DiCaprio and Diaz bring a part of our history alive. Daniel Day-Lewis was great and fits like a glove in his character's villainy and brutality and Mr. Scorsese has made another masterpiece.
This is a historical film as well as an entertaining one. Mr. Scorsese has reconstruct the details of life in New York in the 19th century and made a narrative of historical change that explains how New Yorkers got from where they were to were they are today.
This is truly a rare American film. There is very little in the history of American cinema to prepare you for this version of what really happened. It is not the usual feel good story of moral progress and enlightenment, but rather a blood-soaked tale of revenger that culminates in the New York street riots of 1863. Every American should see this film just for it's historical value. Most young people today have no concept of anything that happened before their life started, and if nothing else, this film will show them a life they could never dream of, but one that truly tells where our society came from.