not satisfied

Rating: Null/10 (26 December 2002)

What disappointed me the most was the pathetic attempt to show the progression and growth of the city by the use of computer animated time lapse showing a panoramic view of New York city. It looked incredibly unreal and what bothered me the most was when Scorsese decided to stop the timeline of progression at pre Septermber 11th with the World Trade Center standing tall. The director went out of his way to prove a point in which he stopped short and half-assed his intention. He should have shown the buildings disappear like they did on September 11th. Just because directors have computer animation at their disposal does not and should not constitute them to use it every chance they get especially when it looks unrealistic. The ending was the straw that broke the camel's back. The movie was cast at the most extreme ends of the spectrum of professionalism. What went through Scorsese's head when he decided to give Leonardo DiCaprio the lead part sharing with Daniel Day Lewis? Lewis was brilliant and DiCaprio was pathetic. Scorsese spent three hours building a story with detail and passion only to scrap the project by giving DiCaprio the lead role and placing one of the most horrible endings in film history. Scorsese avoids reality, avoids controversy, and surrenders to P.C. sensitivity and therefore taking his audience for fools.