One of the most provocative films from Hollywood in recent times.

It's a punishing piece of work, this Gangs of New York. Spectacular, brilliant, but punishing-basically, one long brawl...

The visuals are strong, while the central narrative is weak (a disastrous combination for a long movie). Worst of all, Gangs of New York achieves far too little while trying much too hard.

Gangs of New York vivifies the past in all of its brutal, misguided glory in the hopes we might glean some better understanding of our forebears’ foibles.