Killers of the Flower Moon review

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON: 

MARTIN SCORSESE’S 3 ½ HOUR WESTERN IS ONE OF HIS FINEST! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND APPLE ORIGINAL FILMS

Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone in Killers of the Flower Moon

 

            Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street, The Revenant, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) joins forces with Robert De Niro (The Godfather: Part II, Taxi Driver, Joker) and director Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas, The Departed, The Irishman) to bring David Grann’s best-selling novel to the screen in Killers of the Flower Moon. I love Scorsese as a filmmaker and think he’s made some truly excellent movies for quite a long time now from his classic gangster films like Goodfellas and Casino to religious movies like Kundun and Silence and his more experimental work like Shutter Island and Hugo, you can tell this man really cares about what he’s bringing to the screen and pours his blood, sweat, and tears into every shot. 

            The same can be said about Killers of the Flower Moon which had just been released in theaters and will be followed by a digital release on Apple TV+. I’ve never read the book the film was based on, but damn Scorsese once again knocked it out of the park. 

            The film is set in 1920s Oklahoma and centers around a series of murders in the Osage Nation after oil was discovered on tribal land thus sparking a major FBI investigation. At the center of it all is Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio) who had just returned from World War I and his rancher uncle William “King” Hale (De Niro) who acts like a friendly neighbor to the Osage people but has plans of his own for them. 

            The film also stars Lily Gladstone (Jimmy P: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian, Certain Women, First Cow) as Ernest’s wife Mollie Burkhart, Jesse Plemons (The Master, Black Mass, Judas and the Black Messiah) as BOI agent Tom White, Tantoo Cardinal (Dances with Wolves, Legends of the Fall, Smoke Signals) as Mollie’s mother Lizzie Q, John Lithgow (3^rd Rock from the Sun, Shrek, Interstellar) as Prosecutor Peter Leaward, Brendan Fraser (George of the Jungle, The Mummy trilogy, The Whale) as Attorney W.S. Hamilton, Scott Shepherd (Side Effects, Bridge of Spies, First Cow) as Ernest’s brother Byron Burkhart, Sturgill Simpson (Queen & Slim, The Hunt, The Creator) as Henry Grammer, Gary Basaraba (The Last Temptation of Christ, The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), Sound of Freedom) as William J. Burns, and Steven Eastin (Field of Dreams, Con Air, Catch Me If You Can) as Judge Pollock. 

            Overall, Killers of the Flower Moon is three-and-a-half hours of Martin Scorsese excellence and like Oppenheimer, it doesn’t feel as long as it is. I was thoroughly invested in the story and getting wrapped up in the characters and their dilemmas. 

            I will admit, the film does take a while to get going and there are a lot of slow scenes or scenes that go on for a long time. However, this is also a movie that’s taking its time as there is a lot to unravel, and the film is very well-paced with interesting characters guiding the way, so you never feel bored as you’re watching it. 

            The plot is extremely captivating as a grim reminder of one of the darkest moments in American history and how it can echo current events in today’s society. This is a very important and horrific story to tell that isn’t often discussed with themes of hate crimes, racial violence, and greed and given what’s been going on in the modern world, this film came out at just the right time and is sure to leave a lasting impression with moviegoers even after it ends. 

            Here’s something you probably never heard before about a Scorsese movie, the performances are superb and will likely gain Oscar attention during awards season. Leonardo DiCaprio is phenomenal and gives a very unique performance as this man who truly loves his wife a lot but is also trying to murder her family for wealth which adds this really interesting conflict to his character and DiCaprio plays both sides of Ernest wonderfully. 

            Robert De Niro is also excellent as Ernest’s uncle who plays the part as if one of his gangster characters from other movies was posing as a friendly neighbor and town friend to the Native Americans so he can kill them and get their money. Lily Gladstone is the true star of the film, I found her character to be very endearing throughout and felt genuinely sorry for her character when terrible things start to happen in her life, Gladstone is the heart and soul of the movie and rightfully deserves an Oscar for her performance. 

            The production design and cinematography are amazing, Martin Scorsese and production designer Jack Fisk really make 1920s Oklahoma come alive in every shot of the film. From scenes of the busy town to simple shots of the landscapes and scenery, Scorsese and Fisk’s work capture the size and scope of the event and looks outstanding on the big screen, easily Scorsese’s best-looking film since probably Hugo. 

            Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon is a cinematic achievement not to be missed and not only ranks among the best films of his career, but also one of the best films of the year. Whether you’re seeing it in theaters or streaming it on Apple TV+, this is a mandatory viewing that will leave you speechless.