Gangs Of New York
2002
In 1860's lower Manhattan, the Five Points section is a dark, teeming corner of the city known for vice and chaos. Into this frontier of lawlessness arrives the young Irish American, Amsterdam Vallon. Amsterdam is the orphaned son of the slain Priest Vallon--once chief warrior of the Dead Rabbits gang that rallied the Irish .. Read more
| Starring | Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz, Jim Broadbent |
|---|---|
| Director | Martin Scorsese |
| Genres | Drama |
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Gangs Of New York
In 1860's lower Manhattan, the Five Points section is a dark, teeming corner of the city known for vice and chaos. Into this frontier of lawlessness arrives the young Irish American, Amsterdam Vallon. Amsterdam is the orphaned son of the slain Priest Vallon--once chief warrior of the Dead Rabbits gang that rallied the Irish immigrants of the Five Points. After 16 years in a "House of Refuge," Amsterdam has returned to the Five Points to hunt down his father's killer. His target is William Cutting (aka "Bill the Butcher") who has since become the merciless new leader of the neighborhood and detests the newly arrived immigrants. Each year, on the anniversary of Priest Vallon's death, the victory is commemorated with a celebration--with invitations handed out by way of the Butcher himself. Amsterdam's plan is clear: to lie in wait and slay his father's killer. While waiting for that night, Amsterdam works his way deep into the Butcher's inner circle, a world of alternating honor and cruelty from which he can only hope to escape. But the closer he gets to Bill, the more he falls under his spell and becomes conflicted--playing the role of the man's surrogate son while keeping the true secret of his past in the shadows. At the same time, Amsterdam meets Jenny Everdeane, an enigmatic pickpocket whose fierce independence fascinates him. When details of her closely linked past with Bill the Butcher emerge, the relationship between the three intensifies. Amsterdam's fight for family honor, freedom and the woman he loves ultimately collides with a pivotal moment in New York and American history: the 1863 Civil War Draft Riots. This uprising, fueled by new Americans like Amsterdam, will have repercussions that will spread through the Five Points to the halls of Government and beyond, and reveal a tenacious spirit in the city that endures.
| Starring | Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz, Jim Broadbent, John C. Reilly, Henry Thomas, Liam Neeson, Brendan Gleeson, David Hemmings |
|---|---|
| Director | Martin Scorsese |
| Studio | ENTERTAINMENT IN VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 40 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama |
| Language | English |
| Subtitles | English |
| Released | DVD: 30 Jun 2003 Blu-ray: 02 Nov 2009 Production year: 2002 |
| Format | DVD |
Gangs Of New York (2002)
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Critics' reviews (3)
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Bringing director Martin Scorsese's fascination with the New York underworld back to its bloody, primal roots, this brutal, occasionally muddled, but always riveting dream project centres on Manhattan gang warfare in the 1860s. It begins with a gruesome street battle between the Nativists (gang members of Anglo-Saxon descent) and the Dead Rabbits (more recently arrived Irish-Americans), during which the latter's leader, Priest Vallon (a brief but striking appearance from Liam Neeson), is slaughtered in front of his young son. Sixteen years later, Priest's son, Amsterdam (played by Leonardo DiCaprio in a disappointingly one-note performance), returns to the Five Points district in New York where the Nativists now rule supreme and insinuates himself with the gang in order to avenge his father. However, his evolving relationship with Nativist boss Bill the Butcher (a searing performance from Daniel Day-Lewis) tempers his anger and provides the young man with a dilemma. If the film never marries its complex political intrigue with the more simplistic personal stories — the surrogate father-son set-up between Amsterdam and Bill or Amsterdam's spiky romance with pickpocket Jenny Everdeane (Cameron Diaz) — the epic sweep is breathtaking, the attention to detail intoxicating and Daniel Day-Lewis's turn is unmissable.
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Sprawling epic account of the making of modern New York, enlivened by a roistering performance from Day-Lewis, who overshadows a miscast DiCaprio; Scorsese's ambition is evident, but his adherence to conventional devices of revenge and romance pull the mo
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Most helpful member's review
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32 out of 39 people found this review helpful
A superb performance
Daniel Day Lewis comes onto our screens about once in every three years. It is as though he prepares himself for the role, for that entire time, and the performances that he leaves us with just get better and better. The man is a genius and his portrayal of William Cutting, affectionately known as ?The Butcher? is nothing short of terrifying.
Gangs of New York is a raw, unforgiving look at the ?salad bowl? rather than the ?melting pot? that was New York during the American Civil War. The Butcher is the self-styled king of five points, New York. He leads ?the natives? brutally against the Irish and Black immigrants, flooding into New York every week.
The film opens with some of the best cinematography since [Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon] and [Road to Perdition]. Sublime editing, a great mixture of camera lenses and angles, plus the perennial slow motion fight sequences all help grab the viewer?s attention from the opening credits.
Leonardo DiCaprio has been at war with the critics regarding his acting ability since he ?sold out? to Titanic. As Amsterdam, he plays the young vengeful orphan well. If anything, the script should have defined his character better, but DiCaprio gives everything he can, with the role provided.
Scorsese has done it again with Gangs of New York and it was a touch of genius casting Cameron Diaz as Jenny.
If you liked Gangs of New York then you may also like to hire [In The Name of The Father], [Last of the Mohicans] and [Titanic]. -
Most recent members' review
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23 out of 31 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Real gangsters from Scorcese!
Martin Scorcese's most original gangster flick features two of the world's greatest actors, Leonardo Di Caprio and Daniel Day Lewis, at their very best..
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- younglochinvar from Prestatyn
- Posted 18 Sep 2007 22:02
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News and features
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Top 10 - Cameron Diaz
- 30 Jun 2009
Top 10 - Cameron Diaz The Mask (1994) Cameron leapt into the limelight in 1994 with her role as the blonde sex siren Tina Carlyle in The Mask. Pairing her with the irrepressible Jim Carrey, who plays Jackel and Hyde character Stanley Ipkiss, it launched her career, highlighting her natural charisma and comedy timing. Not bad for a former model. My Best friend's Wedding (1997) One of Diaz’s late 90s rom-coms that once again highlights her natural charm. At college Julianne Potter (Julia... Read more
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- Gangs Of New York - BLU-RAY Version
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Director Martin Scorsese revisits New York City's notorious past with this dazzling historical drama. A throwback to the epics of yesteryear, GANGS OF NEW YORK is set in the mid-1800s, when the ... -
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In 1860's lower Manhattan, the Five Points section is a dark, teeming corner of the city known for vice and chaos. Into this frontier of lawlessness arrives the young Irish American, Amsterdam Vallon.... -