Killers of the Flower Moon

Killers of the Flower Moon is the latest outing from Hollywood legends, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and director Martin Scorsese, and stands as an introduction to newly grown talent as well as a spotlight on a tragic part of American history that many wanted to keep swept under the rug. Based on the 2017 book of the same name written by David Grann, the true horrific story about the murder of the people of the Osage tribe during the eve of the 20th century, which in turn helped form what would become known as the FBI, is a story that deserved to be told, which is what Scorsese believed which in turn led to the creation of this 2023 film. After discovering oil on their land, the Native American Osage Nation have quickly become the wealthiest people in America, which has drawn the attention of several jealous white individuals who want that wealth for themselves. One such man is William King Hale (played by Robert De Niro), a prominent millionaire posing as a benefactor and friend to the Osage who secretly plots to eliminate relatives of a wealthy Osage family in order to extract their wealth for himself. He hopes to accomplish this by getting his incredibly malleable nephew, Ernest Burkhart (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) to marry a wealthy Osage family member, which ends up being Mollie (played by Lily Gladstone) and have him kill off her sisters (and eventually Mollie) to the point that he is the only surviving member of this Osage wealth. Playing the long game, multiple of the Osage people are murdered (including Mollie’s sisters) and this puts Mollie in a depressed state, which is further debilitated by her growing sickness from diabetes (along with a poison being secretly given to her by Ernest), allowing Ernest and Hale to continue their wrong doings. However, the arrival of BOI agent, Tom White (played by Jesse Plemons) who was called to Oklahoma by Mollie, places a hurdle in their plans, which needs to be stopped before Mollie is killed, and these corrupt individuals obtain their blood money. Met with rave reviews from critics upon release, Killers of the Flower Moon is a film that is technically sound, has a good purpose at its centre and is home to some great visuals and performances, but is ultimately held down by the film’s direction, pacing and imbalance of focus.

Initially beginning life in 2016 but needing to be held back until 2023 due to changes between distributors and the COVID-pandemic halting production, the film arguably came out during a time when the advent of popular cinema was changing, as the usually prolific genres of blockbusters and superhero films were failing, and audiences were more particular about what they wanted to see in theatres. Considering this film feels like it’s trying to recapture an old-fashioned presentation through its choice of director, writer, actors, presentation, subject matter and even its length (which is about 206 mins long), it seemed like a much-needed change of pace (which is what Scorsese was also heavily banking on and personally highlighted in his media coverage on the movie). With a central focus that is brim with tragedy and grizzly circumstances but showcases enough cinematic punch and bite to make what could be overwhelming watchable, it’s a film that still has an edge but not too much of one that it devalues the disgusting nature of this situation. You can feel that Scorsese and everyone else working on this film really care about being respectful to this story and to the Osage tribe themselves, with several members from the tribe acting as creative consultants and assisted in the making of the film (which is nice to hear). With that said however, a good majority of this film feels wonky in its delivery, and while it might have meant well, some of its execution does result in the Native American voice being lost. A common criticism this film is faced with (even by those that love it) is its ridiculous length and how the film isn’t paced or even written in such a way that makes its running time feel worth it, and yet despite this, still feels like it leaves certain elements unresolved or loosely explained. The script written by Scorsese and respected screenwriter, Eric Roth, isn’t going to hold your hand in explaining the history, and in certain cases, the visual storytelling and sparse yet important dialogue is good enough as it is, but there is a distinct lack of context provided around some of the specifics of the murder case, mostly from the perspective of the Native American people who take a backseat against the plan of those who are trying to murder and extort them. Scorsese is a talented director, yet it feels like he was the wrong choice for this movie, with aspects of his familiar style bleeding through onto a narrative that definitely doesn’t require them. The film is thankfully kept at a slow, morose, and effectively real tone, yet there’s a liveliness to this flick that while appreciated in parts, does seem a little unneeded and maybe could’ve used a different guiding hand to make this story feel a bit more appropriate.

For a story about the murder of the Osage tribe, it’s strange that the film barely allows them to act on their own accord and instead uses them as a focal point to watch be tortured, mistreated, and then subsequently thrown away again as an emotional hook. As previously stated, Scorsese’s dedication to being respectful to said tribe doesn’t ring hollow, but it starts to become a little bizarre how much of this film is focused on the white people killing the tribe rather than the tribe themselves. They are allowed to be the element of sympathy, and they get moments to shine, but not much else in terms of material or depth, and that can be felt specifically with the character of Mollie. Relatively unknown actress Lily Gladstone portrays this mentally and eventually physically broken women with such an understated yet composed demeanor that she honestly commands every scene she’s in very effectively, yet it feels like she’s horribly wasted in this story as her character is given very little agency throughout the entire movie. Despite feeling like she should be the lead (even the novel this was based on had her as the person of focus), she’s kept mostly to the sidelines and not allowed to do anything outside of fall in love and slowly get worse over the course of the film while the rest of her family die. Gladstone almost feels too strong of a performer to waste on such a meatless role and even though her scenes are good, the potential that could’ve been if she (and the rest of her family and tribe) were given more screen time and agency is pretty unfortunate, as even actors like Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, Jillian Dione and William Belleau are pretty good in their bit parts. On the flip side, none of the other actors are necessarily bad (outside of a small but noticeably awkward cameo by Brendan Fraser), but their roles do feel pretty basic and that is further pushed forward by the actors picked for said roles. While people like John Lithgow and Jesse Plemons are barely used but feel fine enough, both Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro are staples for Scorsese, and while their performances are good, they don’t do anything audiences haven’t already seen from them. Robert De Niro as this cruel figure that hides behind a friendly smile and hollow words is pretty good (if a little obvious in his wrongdoings), and DiCaprio’s role is also lacking in so much agency that it’s hard to feel any sympathy for him despite there being the workings for a complex individual. His familiar acting tropes are apparent when watching and against someone like Gladstone who is effectively raw and genuine with her emotions, his approach feels very put-on and obviously attention-grabbing.

This is a very different looking movie from most of Scorsese work, and not just because of the unfamiliar time period and location, but also in the way that it’s filmed. Scorsese films often showcase dark and uncomfortably real situations in a manner that can be strangely quirky and even comedic at times, and that style and tone has created a familiar kind of mood in his projects, whereas this one has a softer approach to its presentation yet still portrays the violence in a hollow and even brutally blunt manner. There are several death scenes in this film that are disturbingly quick and feel uncomfortably real from how empty and unfeeling these acts of cruelty are, bleeding that usual Scorsese edge into a story that holds back just enough with its tone to not feel disrespectful. Despite this, the film still manages to be quite beautiful looking, with cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto that provides some very nice sweeping cinematic shots that bring an epic scale to the story being told, yet also provides some very effective tight shots that many of the more intimate moments all the more effective, which also helps to create an environment that feels very legitimate. Everything from the production design by Jack Fisk, the costume design by Jacqueline West, to how the film is shot, to even how the people talk, really makes you feel like you are in this time period and this location, which only makes the truth of the matter all the more harrowing. The editing by long time Scorsese collaborator Thelma Schoonmaker can on occasion have a few abrupt cuts and this feels like a movie that really needed to be severely chopped down, but the flow of the film is concise enough that you can follow its direction. The musical score by Robbie Robertson (who passed away after the film’s completion) is sadly not as memorable as it could’ve been or even like it was in the initial trailers (which presented a nice heart-pounding effect that is sorely lacking from this feature). It’s noticeable in certain parts and when it can be heard, it’s not too bad, but it’s not used enough to really leave that much of an impression.

Considered to be an Oscar contender for the year, Killers of the Flower Moon has all the expected attributes to secure plenty of nominations, yet it’s hard to say that it actively deserves a good chunk of them. This isn’t a bad movie in any ways, it deserves a lot of respect for bringing light to a tragic part of history that was previously left untouched, and it’s nice that an entire tribe of people are getting their dues all these years later in a film that does feel like it wants to do right by them, but with that desires comes a few stepping stones that aren’t properly laid out. The direction seems ill-fitting, the writing doesn’t always give its central focus enough agency and/or screentime, and it’s way too long and doesn’t warrant its length. There are some great performances, impressive visuals and it is nice to learn about this period of history, but maybe not the ‘’return to cinema’’ that many believe it to be.