A big-budget flick with such a gritty look at New York City didn’t sit well with audiences and film critics. It did moderately well in the box-office, but “moderately” means a flop in the movie biz. It garnered 10 Academy Award Nominations, but didn’t receive one stinking award. The musical “Chicago” and Holocaust epic “The Pianist” was everyone’s pick. “Gangs of New York” didn’t get the love and appreciation that a Scorsese movie usually receives.

The plot snypnosis mostly deals with a young Irish man named Amsterdam who vows revenge on the person who killed his father. His father, named Priest Vallon, played brilliantly by Liam Neeson, is (err… was) the leader of the gang, the Dead Rabbits. A battle ensued at the beginning of the movie between the Dead Rabbits (and a few other gang allies) against the Natives. The leader of the Natives is Bill “The Buther” Cutting, played masterfully by Daniel-Day Lewis. The bloody battle ensues, but its violent content isn’t as shocking as the opening of “Saving Private Ryan.” Ultimately, Priest is killed at the hands of Bill the Butcher. The battle ends, and now Bill makes the rules of the Five Points, as well as New York City. Amsterdam, a young boy witnessing his father’s death, is then sent off to an orphanage.

Amsterdam now grows up (played by Leonardo Di Caprio) and seeks to avenge his father’s death. He manages to infiltrate the Natives gang and works under Bill’s hand. Ultimately this isn’t good since the two become friends and Bill treats Amsterdam as if he was his own son. Conflict arises.

Some historical facts are tossed in like the Draft Riots that occur late into the film, corrupted politician William “Boss” Tweed (played by Jim Broadbent), and of course the Five Points. These facts aren’t just tossed in for the heck of it, but they closely tell a brief timeline and background of New York City’s history and the gangs that once ruled the city. Sure, it’s a gritty historical background, but it’s just the plain truth. Naturally, Hollywood might’ve exaggerated a bit at small parts in this movie, but the movie as a whole is executed brilliantly.

The movie talks more of past American crime and democracy. So many events were squeezed into this movie that it was just too huge to be put on the big screen. I’ve read somewhere that the movie was supposed to be longer, but Scorsese cut it down. He still managed to tell a certain point in American history very well in this movie, but maybe if he had stuck in the deleted scenes with the DVD, maybe the movie might’ve been much better and perhaps even garnered the appreciation it rightfully deserves. “Gangs of New York” is more than just a movie about revenge. It still tells the story of the gangs and the events that surrounded that point in New York City’s history.

The extra DVD features offers a bit more insight on the history of the Five Points, which really help understand parts of the movie. Also a set design featurette and commentary by Martin Scorsese. Only minor grudge with the DVD is that the movie is spans over two discs. C’mon, “Apocalypse Now Redux” fit onto one disc (and that movie version is longer than this movie), but it was probably because the movie has DTS sound (which takes up a lotta room on a disc).

In my opinion, this was the movie that should’ve garnered at least an Oscar or two, most importantly in the Best Director and Best Actor categories. I’m sorry… I liked “The Pianist,” but it was no “Schindler’s List” and it felt like watching “Cast Away” set during World War II. Daniel-Day Lewis was truly the best actor, and Scorsese truly was the best director.

The end of “Gangs of New York” was something truly remarkable. It showed Manhattan’s transition over the years. Watching the buildings slowly become bigger as times change, then it gets into the modern age and shows the Twin Towers standing tall once again. Unlike how post-9/11 movies digitally erased the two buildings and acting as if the event never happened, Scorsese kept them there, standing tall, probably to remind us Americans that we still stand united, strong, and proud, to say that we will not falter.