There were rats. Because this movie was foul.

Rating: 1/10 (28 January 2017)

Where do I begin with explaining how awful this movie is?
First of all, I think the entire plot was written and constructed by a rat being let loose on a keyboard typing up random crap and auto- correct turn groups of letters into words, which ended up as a "plot."
Let's start with the casting. They took as many big-budget actors that they could find who would be willing to join them and gave them a role. Let's take Damon and DiCaprio for example. They play two characters who are supposed to be each other's foil and yet, the two actors look so alike they are almost indistinguishable other than the fact that DiCaprio has a bit of facial hair. I normally love Jack Nicholson, but he was a bit weak and not right for his part.
Onto the main part of the movie that really was the downfall, which would be the overall plot. I would be amazed if any person on the planet was able to fully grasp this overly complex plot the very first time they watch it.
The first part that was utterly ridiculous was at early parts of the film, DiCaprio, who is supposed to be an undercover cop severely beats up people for no obvious reason. At the bar he gets one insult from a person and smashes a glass over his head. I don't think that is part of an undercover cop's duty. Later, He beats two random people from Providence, again for no obvious reason. Somehow Nicholson's character learns about this, so what does he do, He smashes DiCaprio's already broken hand with a shoe. But the really smart part is the fact that DiCaprio is more than willing to befriend the guy who just injured his broken hand. Is Nicholson really just going to let him into his crew that quickly? You would think not, but whatever.
Later in the movie DiCaprio even tells the characters played by Martin Sheen and Mark Wahlberg that they have the evidence to convict Nicholson, but they don't think they have enough evidence even though they know him to run a large scale operation with includes selling drugs, micro-processors, and killing people. And its not like Nicholson is trying to hide or anything. Just arrest the guy for crying out loud!
Later in the movie we see that Wahlberg's character is forced to step down from his position for reasons that the movie failed to explain. Then for some reason they decide to have Damon, who is one of the newest members of the team, lead the case on Nicholson.
Here comes the second most confusing part of the film (Yes it will get more confusing). During some kind of cocaine exchange the cops show up where a big gunfight follows. Nicholson is injured in the fight then reveals to Damon that he has is an FBI informant. Wait... What?!? You're trying to tell me that for the past several decades, Nicholson has been working as an FBI informant? Many unanswered questions arise from this situation: 1) How and why is an FBI agent running one of the largest organized crime groups in the city. He's killed people, sold illegal contraband and this goes unpunished by his superiors at the FBI? 2) What kind of information is he trying to get if he's supposed to be an informant? What is he trying to accomplish?
3) At the very beginning, we see him recruit Damon at the age of 12. Why is he allowed to recruit people, especially kids, for his crime group?
Moving on to the very end of the film, we now find the most confusing part. DiCaprio tells Damon to meet him on a roof so he can arrest him, which he does. But for some reason another cop shows up on the roof from the request of DiCaprio, but he sees DiCaprio as the bad guy. Damon and DiCaprio go down the elevator, DiCaprio is immediately killed by some random guy I don't recall ever seeing, then he kills the other officer who came down by stairs, then Damon kills the guy who killed DiCaprio and the other cop. At this point of the movie I am completely lost. All I know is that people are killing people for no logical reason.
At the very end of the movie, we see Damon walking into his apartment and Wahlberg is waiting for him and shoots him. Then here comes the most brilliant piece of symbolism in cinematic history, a RAT is shown walking across the balcony of Damon's apartment. Yes, a rat. Because that has to be the most clever and least cliché metaphors I have ever seen (sarcasm fully implied) because they only said the word 'rat' about 100 times during the movie.
Complaints continued: 1) This incredibly long 2 1/2 hour long movie is paced so poorly. They spend an incredibly long time on the parts that have no significance to the plot, and the parts that make no sense, they either barely touch on it or don't explain it at all (I don't need to have the plot spoon fed to me, but there is a certain point where there does need to be some explanation within the movie). 2) There is this sort of 'love triangle' going on with Damon, DiCaprio, and a psychiatrist, which adds nothing to the plot other than to make the movie longer. 3) By the end of the movie, there are 3 characters who had screen time that ended up surviving. Basically every important character ends up dead. 4) Scorsese's portrayal of violence is glorified and unrealistic.
Overall, I would definitely consider this one of the worst movies I have ever seen and would not recommend this movie even if you were bored out of your mind.