Gangs of New York

Name: Gangs of New York
Genre: Drama, History, Crime
Released: December 20, 2002
Duration: 167 min
Rating: 72
Cast: Cameron Diaz, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio

2002

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 39 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 378 Ratings

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7.5

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7.5	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 378 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Miramax Films | Release Date: December 20, 2002 | R

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio

Summary: Set in New York City between 1840 and 1863, this is the story of a young man named Amsterdam (DiCaprio) who seeks vengeance against Bill "The Butcher" Poole (Day-Lewis), the man who killed his father as a result of warfare between the powerful Manhattan gangs.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Genre(s): Drama, History, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 167 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Peter Travers

Gangs of New York is something better than perfect: It's thrillingly alive. Read full review

David Edelstein

It's a magnificent achievement—holes, tatters, crudities, screw-ups, and all. Read full review

Richard Corliss

This daring, perhaps confusing declaration of irrelevance suggests that the epic is a form a director like Scorsese must subvert even as he invokes it. But it doesn't erase the sordid splendor of Scorsese's congested, conflicted, entrancing achievement. Read full review

Jonathan Foreman

Though never dull and often visually beautiful, this work of operatic sweep doesn't fulfill its own ambitions. Read full review

Peter Rainer

Stunning, and it has the added bonus of being about an era that is virtually new to movies. As a dramatic achievement, however, it is not quite so amazing. Read full review

David Ansen

Gangs is a dream project Scorsese has wanted to make for 30 years. You have to honor its mad ambition. But sadly, it feels like a dream too long deferred. Read full review

Kenneth Turan

Scorsese and his team have created a heavy-footed golem of a motion picture, hard to ignore as it throws its weight around but fatally lacking in anything resembling soul. Read full review

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User Reviews

dip4lyfe

Sep 20, 2010

the greatest thing about gangs is the way the "old way" of corruption ruling the lands slowly collides with the new way of order and reform as the movie slowly winds to a head as it goes on. Against that backdrop is the struggle of young Vallon trying to carry out a vendetta against what hethe greatest thing about gangs is the way the "old way" of corruption ruling the lands slowly collides with the new way of order and reform as the movie slowly winds to a head as it goes on. Against that backdrop is the struggle of young Vallon trying to carry out a vendetta against what he first perceived as a villain in Bill the Butcher, but as time winds on his bad deeds seem to have reason/meaning behind them and he seems almost honorable in his actions. They both grip to their old ways in the face of the changing landscape, physical and political... the dawning of a new world and as Bills eye closed for the final time as if the curtain finally closed on the ways of the old. This movie is a true cinematic masterpiece and my favorite of all time.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

BrendanCogs99

Mar 16, 2013

Gangs of New York is terrific. Its mix of history, crime, love, and revenge come together to create one of Scorsese's best films. Some would say Gangs of New York drags, but for those who love great storytelling you won't be disappointed.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Joseph

Feb 27, 2007

Excellent movie. Amazing acting. Original and chaotically beautiful. Gritty and intriguing. You should give this movie a chance unless the only action you enjoy is the standard "action flick."

3 of 6 users found this helpful

Thegodfatherson

Nov 12, 2013

Martin Scorsese is a director of astonishing power and Gangs of New York is a movie of astonishing imagination, ambition, and scope. The first fifteen minutes are as dazzling as any images ever put on screen. The rest of the movie veers from brilliant to flawed, but it is unfailinglyMartin Scorsese is a director of astonishing power and Gangs of New York is a movie of astonishing imagination, ambition, and scope. The first fifteen minutes are as dazzling as any images ever put on screen. The rest of the movie veers from brilliant to flawed, but it is unfailingly arresting, provocative, and powerful. The struggle between good and evil is represented at every level, from the internal struggles within Amsterdam to the massive battles between the immigrants and the natives. Scorsese also puts the combat in Five Points within the context of the riots in New York after the Union began conscripting soldiers. His reach is over-ambitious at times, but he has a sure hand with the narrative and fills each frame with splendid images. After the terrible fighting is over, Scorsese shows us how the city was delivered, in both senses of the word. Superfluous voice-overs and flashbacks are very annoying, Thomas' character is poorly conceived, and Cameron Diaz, though game, is badly miscast. DiCaprio just manages to stay on top of his role, but Day-Lewis gives a career-topping performance of such ferocity that the character almost bursts out of the screen. In the end, a bit slow but great in a sense.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FilipeNeto

Feb 24, 2018

This film shows how Amsterdam Vallon tries to avenge the death of his father in a gangs fight by removing the power and influence of Bill 'The Butcher' Cutting, his father's murderer. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film has a script by Jay Cocks and a cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio, DanielThis film shows how Amsterdam Vallon tries to avenge the death of his father in a gangs fight by removing the power and influence of Bill 'The Butcher' Cutting, his father's murderer. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film has a script by Jay Cocks and a cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis and Cameron Diaz. It was nominated for ten Academy Awards.

This film is interesting but, as far as I realized, doesn't correspond to reality. The historical accuracy remained away from this movie most of the time. But the script is interesting. It has some points that I don't understand but it works, focusing on the fight between two rival gangs for control of the poor neighborhood of Five Points. The most powerful gang, the "Natives", thought the Italian and Irish immigrants were a danger to America, forgetting that they had also been immigrants in the colonial period (the true Americans are the indigenous tribes who were butchered to build USA). From this seed, the film shows how the US received waves of immigrants from Europe and how it was important for the country. The film also focuses on the civil war, the differences of opinion around it, and the poverty of the poorest sections of society.

The actors were well in their roles but Daniel Day-Lewis deserves a special mention. He monopolizes the film with a careful interpretation of a particularly complex and difficult character. DiCaprio was also good, but remained in a role he knows well: the good guy, very cute, seeking justice. Cameron Diaz also brings no surprises, with her usual dose of Latin charm giving greater knavery to her character, already quite opportunistic and cunning. Action scenes are many and quite graphic, so the most sensitive stomachs should be prepared. The visual and sound effects are good and help to enhance the film. The scenarios were very well imagined, although some of them are too unrealistic, and the same can be said of the costumes. Nevertheless, the film is generally reliable enough to be appreciated. The soundtrack is a disappointment because it has a sonority too "rock" and doesn't fit well in a period film. It seems copied from films like "300" or "Mad Max".… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

geewah

Jan 15, 2021

A plodding mess at times which is a shame as this had so much potential.
Day-Lewis is exceptional and the only memorable thing from this movie.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MeritCoba

Apr 21, 2016

As a young kid Leonardo Dicaprio's sees his dad killed by Daniel Day-Lewis in a street squabble between immigrants of all feathers and the natives. Not the Indian natives mind you, but those white dudes born and raised in the US from fathers who stole the country from those other natives aAs a young kid Leonardo Dicaprio's sees his dad killed by Daniel Day-Lewis in a street squabble between immigrants of all feathers and the natives. Not the Indian natives mind you, but those white dudes born and raised in the US from fathers who stole the country from those other natives a few generations before. Get of my property (that use to be someone elses) is their slogan!
So Dicaprio swears to do Day-Lewis in as a little kid. Just wait until I am older! The movie therefore fast forwards sixteen years into the future to come to a halt around the time of the civil war. We learn that Dicaprio's desire to kill Day-Lewis has not dampened. Has he learned all kinds of usual skills that help progress him and society towards a better goal? Nope of course not: he just knows how to kill people with a knife.

The next two hours then might see interesting things about the historical background of the US in the late 19th century, say the civil war, or about the life of the immigrants, but nope.. it is all about a gang of criminals. The kind that plague society any time in any setting and is filled with thugs, hoodlums, scumbags, crooks, sadists and profiteers and anyone else preying on society. But perhaps that was the message?The US is made by criminals? A country full of sociopaths? The end of the movie seems to imply as much.

It takes Dicaprio around two hours to do in Day-Lewis, which he could have done by gunning the guy down in the first fifteen minutes, but he needs to linger because of reasons of morality. But actually no noble goal is guiding him. It is just bloody revenge that he wants.Get a life dude!

There is some kind of romancing going on between him and Cameron Diaz, which is probably in there just to extend the movie even further for it feels like they just go through the motions. Diaz is a unlikable as the others, only she is female, so maybe that is her excuse.

For my life I can't figure out why anyone would sit through this movie that has such unlikable lurid characters. It almost feels like Goodfellas but with even more abject characters. Perhaps the acting is great, but really, why would you watch two hours of bloody violence, an awkward romance and nothing else? It is just a boring movie about one guy wanting to do in another and taking two hours to do it.… Expand

2 of 5 users found this helpful23

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84	#84 Best Movie of 2002
17	#17 Most Discussed Movie of 2002
36	#36 Most Shared Movie of 2002