There Is a Pain in My Heart That the Passing Years Will Never Heal.

Rating: Null/10 (25 March 2003)

Easily the best film of 2002 in spite of the Academy's ignorance and the views of some movie-goers that do not always completely understand the importance and relevance of many great movies that transcend the world's greatest medium of communication. "Gangs of New York" is one of the best and most important productions the cinema has ever produced. It is New York 1846 and a small band of Irish immigrants led by holy man Liam Neeson try to take on the heartless and violent white Anglo-Saxons of the Five Points area led by the dark and deranged Daniel Day-Lewis (in an Oscar-nominated role). Valiant and determined, the Irish give a good fight but cannot overcome a stronger gang that has greater numbers. Fast-forward 16 years and Neeson's son (Leonardo DiCaprio) is back to the scene of his father's untimely death and vows revenge, regardless of the cost. Things have changed a bit though as former supporter John C. Reilly has become a Day-Lewis disciple that hands out unlawful justice as a city cop. Crooked politician Jim Broadbent runs the Tammany Hall Era with the everlasting fear of Day-Lewis and his seemingly innumerable group of thugs. Also Neeson's former friend (Brendan Gleeson) is along for the ride, but his motives are difficult to figure out at first. DiCaprio comes back into contact with childhood friend Henry Thomas (of "E.T." fame) and quickly falls for beautiful pick-pocket Cameron Diaz (in her greatest role by a mile). Naturally Diaz has the looks of an angel, but a tarnished soul as she is little more than a thief to other New Yorkers and a glorified lover to Day-Lewis. DiCaprio's plan is to kill Day-Lewis and create a new destiny for the city, but killing the man means that he must gain his confidence and then strike at the most surprising of times. While all this goes on, immigrants come in by the boatloads and are immediately sent to fight in this country's Civil War. Twists and turns occur and in the end the infamous 1863 Draft Riots are the only logical conclusion for the city and all the people within the area's vast landscape. "Gangs of New York" is strong in every department. The film's amazing costume design, cinematography, landmark art direction and engrossing story puts the production into an area that very few movies ever experience. The catalyst is of course Martin Scorsese (Oscar-nominated in direction) who combined the finest elements of seemingly every other film he has ever worked on and added intense methods from directors like Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg, Alfred Hitchcock and the greats of the Italian cinema like Federico Fellini. The scope of the film is epic and yet very precise at the same time. All the performances are landmark from top to bottom with there being a few dozen speaking parts. Day-Lewis dominates above everyone as he becomes one of the silver screen's most interesting characters. He is a villain (one of the most frightening ever), but yet there is a depth to him that makes him strangely sympathetic and understandable. The spirits of the DiCaprio character and the Day-Lewis character share an odd bond of hate, but mutual respect and even a father-son type of love. The film's hot soundtrack has an ominous tone and U2's amazing "The Hands That Built America" (which was also Oscar-nominated) may be the finest song to ever go with a major motion picture (it does for "Gangs of New York" what "My Heart Will Go On" did for "Titanic" in 1997). I want to make it clear that "Chicago" is a fine film, but it is not in the cinematic galaxy of "Gangs of New York". "Gangs of New York"'s 10 nominations and zero Oscar wins is probably the greatest tragedy throughout the Academy's history. With that said, "Gangs of New York" will join the likes of films like "Citizen Kane", "Giant", "Apocalypse Now", "Raging Bull" (also directed by Scorsese), "The Thin Red Line" and "Traffic" as being landmark events that were too smart, sleek and sophisticated for the eyes of the Academy. In short films like "Gangs of New York" make the Oscars become exactly what they are: trivial and unnecessary. The evolution of New York and the appearance of the Twin Towers at the end is a fitting, poignant and emotional tribute to a great city and an appropriate finale to an outstanding film. 5 stars out of 5.