Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz, Jim Broadbent, John C. Reilly, Liam Neeson, Brendan Gleeson, Barbara Bouchet

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

How many of us in this generation will die for a cause?

Not many.

Cynicism has eaten into the minds of many who have tried. But in this fast paced life we live is their some respite for us to brush some of our knowledge of people who made us who we are. The people who gave us the chance to think freely. But is this the freedom these men fought for? There are too many questions on whether freedom is still a state of mind or just a feeble part of our imagination. Does every generation go through this dilemma at some stage or are we the unlucky few who are going to put through this time of recession of thought.

This is a film from one of the fertile minds in the Hollywood industry Martin Scorsese. A man who grew watching some truly remarkable films. His understading of the art form is so textured it leaves us with a visual style that is so his own and even timeless. Daniel Day Lewis plays the Butcher who begins the film by killing people with his knives. There are limbs getting twisted, mouths pulled out, clubs smashing head, cutting heads all to the tune of some deafening rock music. This is scene does not give us much style but rather leaves a sour taste of war has turned into celluloid. This beginning sets the tone for some of the more memorable scenes in this movie. The actors have been chose true t oones character. But the one stands tall is the Butcher this is more like a swan song. There is not one dull moment when he is around. He looks like a creature from the Amazon unchained and left to run the walls of this earth. His eye seems to be bruised by something not very familiar. He is a vicious man who doesnt care for any living being.

But this begins to change when he meets Leonardo Di Caprio who he takes under his wing. He trains him to be a warrior but then begins to take him as his son. But this fairytale comes to an end when The Butcher finds out that Leo has come her for vengeance. This is what sets the mood for this film.

But a Scorsese film is never complete without his trademark scenes. One of the many in this film is the one where The Butcher puts a mark on Leo’s face for causing him pain. The resulting montage of Leo trying to get better is really very cathartic. It gives us a glimpse into the pain that this poor boy has been put through. It also gives the audience a reason to root for Leo’s character when he challenges The Butcher. But the story is not about the rivalary it is more to do with what these men had to sacrifice to build a nation. They had to loose out on truth and side the evil side of mortality. They had to sell themeselves so that they could live in peace. It also shows us how man changes in the face of disaster.

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