Casino is Martin Scorsese’s most violent film, but its violence is not purely for shock value or style. Instead, it is a faithful representation of the real world. This is true even of the more outrageous scenes, such as the murder by slitting a throat with a wire and Joe Pesci’s character being buried alive in a cornfield.
Casino portrays the seedy underbelly of the Las Vegas gambling industry with unflinching accuracy. While many movies depict the city as a place of opulence and neon signs, Casino shows its darker side, including its mafia roots and corruption.
The movie also illustrates how casinos manipulate their patrons. For example, the absence of clocks and windows helps to keep players in constant euphoria and makes it harder for them to track how much money they are losing. Casinos also offer free drinks to their patrons, which increases the likelihood that they will stay longer and make poor judgment decisions.
Despite its depictions of greed and corruption, the movie is not without a sense of tragedy. Unlike Goodfellas, which features an ensemble cast of villainous characters, Casino focuses on three key players who meet their downfall due to their own poor choices. This gives the film a greater sense of realism and authenticity, while making it more compelling.
In this sense, Casino is a better depiction of human tragedy than the more sensational Goodfellas. While both films are excellent, Casino is a superior depiction of how bad people can be.