The one word to describe legendary director Martin Scorsese’s latest film Killers Of The Flower Moon is “greed.”
Based on a shocking and disturbing true story, the 1920s Oklahoma film sheds light on a series of murders perpetrated against the Osage Nation, all involving oil discovered on their land. The film is adapted from the 2017 novel by David Grann.
This thrilling film fires on all cylinders, combining action, historical accuracy and sentiment into what will undoubtedly be noted as a classic film in both Scorsese’s filmography and cinema as a whole.
After the First World War, Ernest Burkhart reunites with his uncle William Hale at Hale’s sprawling ranch located near Osage Nation land. The two spark a sinister conversation involving a plot to capitalize on the potential wealth associated with the Osage’s oil.
The film then documents Osage poisonings, stabbings, thrilling Bureau of Investigation subplots and a horrific porch bombing. Meanwhile, the perpetrators play the innocent while Bureau Agent Tom White, played by Jesse Plemons, is hot on their heels.
Killers feels as if it is three short films in one — the first hour slowly introduces the Osage and the main characters, the second section involves intense, violent crime and the final section shows the aftermath of the men’s actions. This setup keeps the audience engaged, as every section is integral to the film’s plot.
The film’s three hour, twenty-six minute running time gives the actors a chance to shine, and do they ever.
In the role of Burkhart, Leonardo DiCaprio gives the greatest performance of his career as his character battles with inner conflict and his evil actions. Robert De Niro’s depiction of Hale shows that his older age won’t slow him down and Lily Gladstone perfectly portrays the unimaginable pain her character, Mollie Kyle, endures as she finds herself at the centre of the murders. Grief and turmoil aren’t easy to act out successfully, but she captures the emotions with ease.
Plemons and DiCaprio share the screen for much of the film’s second half, and their first encounter is one for the ages: Ernest is visibly nervous and can’t meet Agent White’s eye as he learns about the upcoming investigation into the Osage murders.
Separated by Ernest’s screen door, the two go back and forth as Ernest dodges questions, while the determined agent maintains his composure, analyzing Ernest with a quizzical look. This marks a total shift in the film’s power dynamic, as the Bureau of Investigation takes control, and Ernest loses all of the power he previously had over the Osage and the town.
Killers is a remarkably important movie. The shocking treatment of Indigenous peoples in history has not been the subject of such a huge movie before, and director Scorsese was the perfect person to have at the helm, on account of his remarkable experience in filmmaking, his attention to detail and the passion that he holds for the stories he tells through his films. He balances love, violence and greed perfectly, and the film certainly deserves its nearly three-and–a-half hours of running time as a result.
Due to these standout acting performances and the weight of the film’s content, Killers Of The Flower Moon could very well be Scorsese’s magnum opus — it’s not overly boring, it’s not overly violent and it’s all shown exactly how the events transpired in the 1920s. Movies like this one are hard to come by in recent times, making it even more important as themes of colonial and intimate partner violence generate broader societal discussions.
The film features astounding accuracy, with the costume and set design matching the era and fashion at the time perfectly. Costume designer Jacqueline West hired an Osage consultant to ensure the wardrobe accuracy. The film also features an excellent score from the late great Robbie Robertson, which helps set the haunting tone.
Scorsese’s latest epic is sure to receive a considerable amount of Oscar buzz, and it’s likely that DiCaprio, De Niro, Gladstone and Plemons are all nominated for Academy Awards for their transfixing performances.
There are a staggering number of things to analyze and to think about in this film, and it is certainly too much to cover in this review. I’ll leave you, the reader, with this: If you see one film this year, make sure it’s Killers Of The Flower Moon.
Featured image from IMDb.
