Too Much "Gang" For One Bang!

Rating: 6/10 (30 August 2007)

Director Martin Scorsese's long awaited urban crime saga "Gangs of New York," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Jim Broadbent, paints a vivid but unsavory picture of ethnic and racial intolerance in 19th century New York City against the bloody Union Draft Riots of 1863. Best known for his cinematic Italian mafia masterpieces: "Mean Streets" (1973, "Goodfellas" (1990), and "Casino" (1995), Scorsese explores the bigotry boiling over between white Anglo-Saxon, Protestant Americans and first-generation Irish immigrant in this costume-clad, period piece. Oscar-winning British actor Daniel Day-Lewis of "My Left Foot" takes top acting honors as a heavily mustached villain with a stovepipe hat who clashes with Irish good guy DiCaprio of "Titanic" fame.
Scorsese's lengthy 164-minute evocation of New York during the American Civil War gives audiences a glimpse of history that they may have never seen, especially when pugnacious Northerners lynch African-Americans. If Scorsese's politically incorrect posture isn't galling enough, he allows one of New York City worst criminals, Tammany Hall's Boss Tweed (British actor Jim Broadbent of "The Avengers") to emerge as a somewhat likable though thoroughly unscrupulous fellow. Like virtually all Scorsese movies, "Gangs of New York" relies on a narrator to fill in the gaps of the film's sprawling exposition.
"Gangs of New York" opens one snowy morning in 1846 with a ferocious fistfight between William 'Bill the Butcher' Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis) and his chief rival 'Priest' Vallon (Liam Neeson of "Star Wars: Episode One") for control over New York's Lower East Side. Cutting heads up a gang of proud Nativists. Not only do they hate the Irish, but also they despise freed African-Americans. During the savage battle of Five Points, as their fracas becomes known, Cutting carved up Vallon while Vallon's son Amsterdam watches. Afterward, Amsterdam winds up in an orphanage. When he leaves the orphanage some 16 years later, Vallon returns to Five Points to square accounts with Cutting. New York City consists largely of tribal gangs, while corrupt public officials, like corrupt public officials, like the infamous Boss Tweed, dominate municipal affairs. Eventually, Cutting accepts Amsterdam as one of his own, and Amsterdam ascends the ladder of success. He becomes Bill's second in charge. Pretty pickpocket Jenny Everdeane (Cameron Diaz of "There's Something About Mary") catches the eyes of both Amsterdam and his old pal Johnny Sirocco (Henry Thomas of "E.T.") but never comes between them for the worse. Imagine Bill's surprise when he learns Amsterdam is the Priest's son.
Thinly etched characters and obvious plot contrivances dilute the less than compelling screenplay by film critic Jay Cocks of "The Age of Innocence," Steve Zaillian of "Schindler's List," and Kenneth Lonergan of "Analyze This." Never should the villain eclipse the hero as 'Butcher Bill' does Amsterdam! The writers develop their villain with greater substance, stature, and ambiguity. Meanwhile, DiCaprio's shallow, one-dimensional Irish hero blends into the background. Simply said, Day-Lewis Cutting radiates more charisma than Amsterdam. After Amsterdam infiltrates Cutting's ranks, the two adversaries behave like father and son. Amsterdam's "Hamlet" like indecision to kill Bill bogs down the action. Desperately, the writers turn up the heat in a contrived romantic subplot between DiCaprio's Amsterdam and Diaz's Jenny to compensate for their colorless hero.
Basically, "Gangs" resembles a Spaghetti western with its revenge story set east of the Mississippi River. Incidentally, Scorsese lensed this lavishly produced opus on the back lot of Rome's legendary Cinecitta Studios with 19th century New York City recreated at the cost of $110 million dollars. Ambitious, provocative, off-beat, but excessively long, "Gangs of New York ranks more as a triumph of set design and period detail, not overlooking Day-Lewis' exceptional, Oscar-worthy performance as the villain, than an exciting showdown between two titans.