Gangs of New York

I certainly wouldn't call the script for this film outright cheesy or about nothing, as has been mentioned several times in the reviews here. It's true that those 160 minutes are a bit much, and I looked at the clock more and more in the last hour, but Scorsese has an uncanny gift for conquering almost any uninteresting material, and it paid off here. The story, despite all the flies, fleas and God knows what else, is extremely interesting, with a brilliantly depicted Civil War-torn New York and flawless sets. And there’s also the trump card called Daniel Day-Lewis. He literally imprinted his role with body and soul and gives a heroic performance that perfectly overshadows even the usually bland DiCaprio, as well as the protracted and wannabe spectacular ending. It’s certainly not as great as the ten Oscar nominations might make it seem, but Scorsese did his job well. (16/06/2012)

The very opening action scene is extremely impressive, and the rest of the film impresses with spectacular sets, gorgeous costumes, excellent music, and of course the acting of the master Daniel Day-Lewis. In the end, this is a first-class historical spectacle that, under a less experienced director, would have ended up with the much-touted boredom and tedium due to its dense running time (which isn't actually bothersome). Moreover, both DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz can act well with good direction, which was confirmed here. And one more thing – Scorsese, with his perfect direction, manages to create a great "dirty" atmosphere in places, which adds to the already powerful overall experience. I haven't seen everything from Scorsese yet, but I dare to say that I will still rank "Gangs" very high after watching his other films. (25/09/2010)

One great (Day-Lewis) and other good (DiCaprio, Reilly, Gleeson) performances are met with a lousy script, Scorsese's tired direction and outrageously long runtime. After about an hour, the fight of gangs against gangs turns into the viewer’s fight against boredom... And boredom will win out in the end. You could count the impressive scenes on one hand, and the film is quite strange in that it wants to feel like an intimate drama and a sweeping epic at times, but it doesn't quite manage either. I was also struck by the music. I don't mean the Howard Shore music, but the modern music that plays in the opening battle - I seem to have misunderstood something about its use. Not to mention the final slow tune by U2.__P.S. Liam Neeson was here for maybe only five minutes, but he still impressed me the most after Daniel Day-Lewis. (22/01/2012)

That organized crime played a significant role in the building of American society, not only during Prohibition, is widely known, and the intertwining of American political elites at the local level with the underworld could be the basis for epic TV series that would grab the attention of crowds while still staying true to reality. Scorsese could have undoubtedly directed a magnificent story without using exaggerated elements like in the case of Gangs of New York. Even the opening scene of the battle between two clans looks like something out of a dark medieval fantasy, full of characters who seem to have just stepped out of a sadomasochistic roleplay session. It's all shot for effect, with brutal violence and exaggeration that would be more fitting for a comic book. What works perfectly is the scene that truly breathes a romanticized, yet still somewhat accurate, history of America's most famous metropolis. The cast, led by Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis, is also solid. However, from a director of Martin Scorsese's caliber, I expected something more than a costume drama with a B-movie theme based on these non-existent underworld rituals and their glorification. The reality was much more down-to-earth. Overall impression: 60%. (03/01/2011)

Scorsese is back! Personally, one of the peaks of the historical genre for me, with great sets and Daniel Day-Lewis. It's not fast, it's not aggressive, I wouldn't hesitate to call it a tribute to classics. It is slow storytelling with emphasis on characters, with minimal visual effects, accompanied by period music. An impressive fresco. (26/10/2003)