Day-Lewis is breathtaking.

Rating: 7/10 (13 January 2003)

This was my first Scorcese film, I have to admit. Because of what I had heard about this film, I wasn't too hyped up about seeing it. However, since I am huge Daniel Day-Lewis fan, I went to see it anyway. It was so much better than I thought it would be. It is not great film-making, but it is a whole sight better than a lot of the crap Hollywood has been putting out lately. I actually got very involved in the characters and the plot until the end which I won't go into too much detail about, but is way too confusing. I think I got the point of the film, but I am not really sure.
Some of the special effects were extremely cheesy, especially one shot where a man is cut by another's knife and blood spurts out his side. Perhaps if I hadn't been watching bits from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" the day before I wouldn't have giggled at that part, but it really is laughable. Basically, the fight scenes are corny, but they aren't the majority of the film, so you can deal with them.
Either way, you have to see this film if you are a Day-Lewis fan. He owns it. Leonardo DiCaprio is good, and Jim Broadbent is very believable as a New York politician, but they can't hold a candle to Day-Lewis. You believe that he really lost an eye, you see his respect for the only man he killed worth remembering, and his anger at being lied to. He is just perfect for this role, and is definitely the best thing about the film.
Also, I found the music entrancing. There is music throughout the film, and the songs chosen are so wonderful. Well, the U2 song at the end didn't do much for me, but the Civil War-era music placed throughout just fits in amazingly well. I loved the scene of the men boxing with a hammer-dulcimer player in the room.
So while I think this film is far from the best of the year, it is good, and worth seeing for Daniel Day-Lewis amazing performance as Bill "the Butcher".