ds It’s always nice to hit the rewind button on American history and culture, because you never know what you may find. That’s what made watching “Gangs of New York” (directed by Martin Scorcese) so intriguing to me. The story is about a young man named Amsterdam Vallon (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) who returns to New York to avenge his father’s death by killing his murderer, Bill the Butcher (played by Daniel Day-Lewis).
Right out of the gate, I was sucked into 1863 America, specifically New York. The whole feel and vibe of the setting made everything seem like I was actually there. From men whistling to pretty girls, to bar fights happening consistently, this is what my idea 1863 America would look like. Cinematography was a non-issue, capturing detail at every angle.
The story itself is interesting to say the least. I found myself rooting for Amsterdam in his quest to avenge his fallen father, and it was exciting. However, what the film does so well with its story, is how it continues to unravel and reveal itself. From what I believed to be a simple premise in the beginning, turned out to be much more complex and unique. Amsterdam was shipped away from New York, but returned about 15 years later. As Amsterdam returns to kill Bill the Butcher, he is also engulfed into the ways of New York, and how things have changed since he has left. The different cultures, gangs, and ideas have him confused, and it made me wonder how his perspective has changed.
Now I have seen many films that Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis stole the show in, and this film shows exactly why they are such acclaimed actors. DiCaprio’s pain and frustration as Amsterdam was admirable, making me feel the pain that he was going through. Then we have Mr. Day-Lewis, who portrays Bill the Butcher better than anyone else could have. His arrogance and stubbornness was electrifying, giving me a slight chill every time he would give a smirk.The characters were portrayed extremely well, with absolutely
The one major downfall to the film is it’s running time, which is just about two and a half hours long. As I watched the film, there were many times where there would be unnecessary scenes that strayed away from the main purpose of the story. It made the film drag on through my eyes. It also hinders the effect of the film’s overall message. Don’t get me wrong, I still felt the message and its’ strength, but the impact wasn’t as significant as it could have been.
Overall, “Gangs of New York” definitely earned its nomination for Best Picture of 2002. The stellar cast and story telling was terrific. The running time did bring the overall experience down a bit, but nothing too serious.
Right out of the gate, I was sucked into 1863 America, specifically New York. The whole feel and vibe of the setting made everything seem like I was actually there. From men whistling to pretty girls, to bar fights happening consistently, this is what my idea 1863 America would look like. Cinematography was a non-issue, capturing detail at every angle.
The story itself is interesting to say the least. I found myself rooting for Amsterdam in his quest to avenge his fallen father, and it was exciting. However, what the film does so well with its story, is how it continues to unravel and reveal itself. From what I believed to be a simple premise in the beginning, turned out to be much more complex and unique. Amsterdam was shipped away from New York, but returned about 15 years later. As Amsterdam returns to kill Bill the Butcher, he is also engulfed into the ways of New York, and how things have changed since he has left. The different cultures, gangs, and ideas have him confused, and it made me wonder how his perspective has changed.
Now I have seen many films that Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day-Lewis stole the show in, and this film shows exactly why they are such acclaimed actors. DiCaprio’s pain and frustration as Amsterdam was admirable, making me feel the pain that he was going through. Then we have Mr. Day-Lewis, who portrays Bill the Butcher better than anyone else could have. His arrogance and stubbornness was electrifying, giving me a slight chill every time he would give a smirk.The characters were portrayed extremely well, with absolutely
The one major downfall to the film is it’s running time, which is just about two and a half hours long. As I watched the film, there were many times where there would be unnecessary scenes that strayed away from the main purpose of the story. It made the film drag on through my eyes. It also hinders the effect of the film’s overall message. Don’t get me wrong, I still felt the message and its’ strength, but the impact wasn’t as significant as it could have been.
Overall, “Gangs of New York” definitely earned its nomination for Best Picture of 2002. The stellar cast and story telling was terrific. The running time did bring the overall experience down a bit, but nothing too serious.