The Gangs of New York

Martin Scorsese, 2002 (165 mins, Cert. 18)

Scorsese takes on a historic Big Apple in this period drama that chronicles the criminal exploits of gang members, outlaws, crooked cops and corrupt politicians who flourished in New York City's underworld in the middle of the19th century. Based on the book by Herbert Asbury, the Dead Rabbits face off against the Native Americans for a chance to claim the city streets in this gangster epic
(UCI Publicity)

Scorsese takes his time to work his way through the ins and outs of the battle for the Five Points territory. There are several first-rate acting performances, most especially from Daniel Day Lewis as Bill the Butcher, and the gang fights are realistically brutal without excessive gore (though it would appear that the British censor did find a minute to trim from the running time) but, for me, the film took two or three too many meanders before getting to the big climactic stand-off. At which point, the riots caused by the Civil War draft, and the authorities' response, sweep all before them and the world we've inhabited for the past two and a half hours is instantly consigned to a footnote in history.
(Steve Fagg)

Seen: Wednesday, 29th Jauary, 2003 (UCI Empire, Leicester Square)