Filled with crime, punishment and stunning heartbreak, the new western epic Killers of the Flower Moon blossoms with a stark and gripping urgency to teach its audience about a great and tragic episode of American history.
Helmed by Oscar winner Martin Scorsese and his star cast of three committed, unflinching actors, the film is a long and bravely delicate retelling of the story about Indigenous murders of the Osage in 1920s Oklahoma, including the exploitation of the white community that came in to poach the rightful oil money on Osage homelands.
Legendary director Scorsese’s breath of experience and patience as a director proves rewarding for his detailed adaptation of this story, coming from David Grann’s 2017 nonfiction bestseller.
Three great actors anchor this western epic and work together with dazzling power to bring life into this history epic: Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro all show great skill as community leaders (and criminals) in crisis, with tactics and stakes both good and bad.
Framing the story is DiCaprio as Ernest Burkhart, caught in a string of crime between wanting to profit of the illegal business of his uncle William King Hale (De Niro) and wanting to do right by his Osage wife Mollie (Lily Gladstone).
The story follows this trio through several years of their intertwined lives, culminating in the FBI’s investigation into a string of murders that wrecked the Indigenous communities after Hale’s secret abuse of their trust.
Killers of the Flower Moon succeeds greatly at finding the drama and heightened crime conflict in this broad subject story, and centring the action on Ernest, Mollie and Hale give what could be a scattershot recounting of events much needed focus and stakes.
A-listers DiCaprio and De Niro show unique calmness and control through the film, contrasting many of their better known parts. Lily Gladstone in particular is the real star here, always opening up Mollie’s secret fears to the audience and keeping us intrigued by what Mollie really thinks and feels. Gladstone is surely set to win countless awards for her performance.
Scorsese, as a director, has a clear focus and vision for how he’s framed this exploration of Indigenous history in America and how the greed of money was devastating to people beyond the Osage tribes and communities. That’s especially resonant in Canada, but his framework will interest audiences around the world.
My only criticism on the run time, at nearly three and a half hours, isn’t its length but disproportionate use of that time. The FBI investigations don’t really begin until two hours into the movie, and too much of the run time before then is given to following the several low-level white criminals who work for Hale.
There’s a great line near the end from Hale as he boasts his assurance that he’ll be forgiven for his crimes, perfectly summing up the film’s moral: "You know what happens with cases like this? People forget. Soon it becomes just another common tragedy."
That bleak sentiment alone is enough reason to see Killers of the Flower Moon in theatres. It’s an encompassing western led by a great cast that stands out as one of the year’s best movies.
Killers of the Flower Moon
9 out of 10
14A, 3hrs 26mins. Western History Crime Drama Epic.
Directed by Martin Scorsese.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow and Brendan Fraser.
Now Playing at Film.Ca Cinemas, Cineplex Winston Churchill & VIP and Cineplex Oakville & VIP. Also in IMAX.
