Killers of the Flower Moon

Legendary director Martin Scorsese offers his newest cinematic experience by adapting David Grann’s 2017 award-winning novel Killers of the Flower Moon into an enormous 206 minute epic. The film tackles a dark chapter in American history as it revolves around the Osage Indian Reservation in 1920s Oklahoma. The land was filled with rich oil that made the Osage incredibly wealthy, drawing the attention of white men who flocked to the area. This led to the under-reported tragedies of the murder of the Osage peoples to steal their wealth. Scorsese partners with Apple Studios and assembles his filmmaking avengers to craft an epic $200 million historical drama that debuted to critical acclaim back at its Cannes Film Festival premiere.

One of Scorsese’s all-stars, Leonardo DiCaprio, returns for his sixth collaboration with Scorsese as Ernest Burkhart and showcases a new side of his acting abilities to the audience. Burkhart is a loser, a nimwit, and a man who gets pushed around to complete his uncle’s misdeeds. DiCaprio delivers a great performance in this new territory, one that is not charming, intelligent, or likable in any shape or form. He plays entirely against type, and he’s fantastic! We’re also blessed with the presence of Robert De Niro, who joins the cast in his tenth team-up with Scorsese as Ernest's vile uncle William “King” Hale. De Niro is masterfully menacing in a way that allows you to both fully despise a character's actions and recognize why so many men in the film follow his every word, putting their lives on the line to complete his heinous plans. While he does not have an “Oscar clip”, his presence throughout this opus is ubiquitous. Lastly, we have Lily Gladstone, a first-time collaborator with Scorsese, who steals the entire film as Mollie. While Gladstone is not giving a loud performance, she is able to communicate so much emotion and hold the weight of these murders through her facial reactions, eyes, and movements throughout. She is able to communicate so much without having to say a word.

Another area where Killers of the Flower Moon truly shines is in its technical aspects. After 26 feature films, it’s a severe understatement to say that Scorsese knows how to direct a film. I sincerely appreciate how in the later stages of his career, Scorsese has adapted a more meditative style to his filmmaking. This is in part due to his long-standing partnership with editor Thelma Schoonmaker, who perfectly paces his epics. While Killers of the Flower Moon has a lengthy runtime that is fairly tangible, her editing ensures the film is always progressing in telling the story of this tragedy. The screenplay, which Scorese wrote in tandem with Eric Roth, spins the narrative of the original novel differently by centering it on the members of the Osage community and the white men who have perpetuated their murders rather than on the FBI investigation of the murders ex post facto. Telling the story in this manner allows the audience to better connect with these people and learn their customs. Beautiful costuming adds to this exposure, as the Osage’s detailed traditional outfits are recreated wonderfully. Meanwhile, the atmosphere of Killers of the Flower Moon is enhanced by the late great Robbie Robertson’s score. Robertson himself was a First Nations ancestor who returned for his eighth and final collaboration with Scorsese to deliver infectious and often scene-boosting compositions. Visually, the lush cinematography highlights the beautiful reservation of the Osage and works in tandem with the grand, thoughtful production design that transports the audience back to the 1920s.

One fact Killers of the Flower Moon does not shy away from is how heinous these murders were. The film often shows you the acts being carried out front and center, with haunting visuals that put the events depicted in a tragic light afforded every bit of the gravity they deserve. However, this movie's final scene truly showcases the impact of this story. It is meditative and leaves you recontextualizing everything you just witnessed. 

To conclude, Killers of the Flower Moon is a cinematic feat. While you do feel its massive three-and-a-half-hour runtime occasionally, the technical prowess keeps you glued to the screen, the incredible ensemble ranging from Hollywood stars to Osage natives wrecks your heart, and the emotional weight of this historical tragedy leaves you with much to think about long after the credits roll. 

8/10