A massive disappointment

Rating: 6/10 (15 January 2003)

What should and easily could have been a masterpiece of film making turns out to be nothing more that an average story with a less than average script.
I won't harp on about Day Lewis (who is absolutely fantastic) or DiCaprio who whilst totally miscast performed admirably. Instead I will complain about the massive flaws in the script and general mood of the film.
The film didn't need a hero or a love interest but for some unknown reason Scorsese felt obliged to include both (as do most modern American film makers). Most great films have characters that you either love or loathe but throughout the film I could not help but feel that Bill The Butcher was generally a more likeable person than Amsterdam. For a start Amsterdam (as pointed out in the film) is sneaky, conniving and treacherous character who is seeking revenge for his Farther who died in a battle he willfully entered into. In no part of the film are we led to believe that his Farther was a noble or valiant character, in fact from my impression he was just as ruthless as Bill. This I appreciated.
I cannot help but feel that the film would have been so much better, if the audience had been left to make there own minds up about all of the characters. Both gangs were violent thieves and murders... We don't need heroes every time