Cinematic Pleasure

Rating: Null/10 (8 February 2003)

For those who enjoy movies made by Martin Scorsese, Gangs of New York provides many of his classic elements of his filmaking that have wowed audiences for decades. His grand sense of style, his ability to depict almost musky male bonding and certainly his joyous camera set pieces are demonstrated throughout this frequently tense period thriller. The length of the film has been criticised somewhat. There are moments of feeling halfway through War and Peace, but an epic does need space. This is the first film where Leonardo Di Caprio can clearly be seen acting, frequently and seriously and the performance seems indeed mature. Cameron Diaz enchants. Daniel Day-Lewis plays unbelievably well and doubtless will be remembered globally for this performance above all others to date. Scorsese himself appears (blissfully) briefly,in his Hitchcock fashion, which is now a fond tradition for him.
Like most Scorsese movies, this film will tolerate repeated viewings as the general quality is high, both the acting and camerawork. Moments remind one slightly of Casino, then The Colour of Money, then maybe even Mean Streets. But the period excitement creates much new ground for Scorsese to play with, that the somnambulent Age of Innocence did not. Certain camera elements seem to have opened new vistas for him. His camera direction revels in leaving behind the trinkets and cold steel of the 20th century and details those same aspects of the 19th in ways that are equally beatiful and horrifying.