Gangs of New York *spoilers... WTH?

[BaboonGuy]

WARNING: Dont read this thread if you haven't seen the movie and would like to.

Okay I just saw Gangs of New York. Didn't like it very much throughout, and hoped it would redeem itself with the epic final battle. But then the Confederacy invades and basically kills them all. Hell Dicaprio didn't kill the Butcher, a fuckin cannonball did. What the hell was the message supposed to be in that massive bloodshed of a final scene? Is it supposed to be a Lord of the Flies type thing where they realize that their disputes and differences didn't mean a thing compared to the grand scheme of the world? And therefore we should just all get along? Was Scorcese trying to numb us with violence to send a message of non-violence? I'm confused. Someone straighten me out.

 

[rocadelpunk]

what you said.

i dunno, i saw the movie forever ago and forgot it now.

i think it was about brotherly love.

 

[Broohaha]

i liked it

 

[y00ycdz]

I thought it was a kick arse movie. I like longer movies like that. It was as good as The Patriot but in a different era.

 

[stormbv]

Yeah, despite all their differences, the gangs had poverty and crime in common, and none of them wanted to be drafted to fight in a war that they had nothing to do with. They didn't want to die to free the slaves or keep the Union intact while some rich guys were able to buy their way out of the war.

In the end, it's the Union that shells the city to put down the riots, not the confederacy.

 

[Stratum9]

Does every story have to contain a moral? Maybe it's meant to be nothing but a fictionalized version of real historical events and people.

If you watch the DVD extras it talks about this. The butcher was a real person (with some embellishments) and the army attacking NYC in order to control the riots really did happen. The butcher died during these riots and those words he spoke just before his death are recorded in historical documents.

I loved the movie because I love history and this was an historical event that isn't talked about as much as others. Other significant events did happen during the Civil War Era other than the Civil War!

 

[Amused]

Um, that wasn't the confederacy invading. The Union used it's own troops to fire on NY during the Draft Riots of 1863.