Film Review: ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’

By Harrison Ferger    

             Martin Scorsese is one of the greatest American storytellers of all time. With his new film, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” he takes on a story deeply intertwined with America and its all too violent and predatory foundation. Both mirroring his previous works on the legitimizing of crime organizations behind the thin veil of unbridled capitalism. Yet separating itself as something new entirely, with its mournful pace and the brazen evil it holds.

            “Killers of the Flower Moon” is based on the novel written by David Grann. It’s a story that follows the “Reign of Terror ” in which the Osage nation were victims of brutal murders in the pursuit of stealing oil money from them. Through these murders, the FBI is born as they are sent to investigate in Oklahoma after years of betrayal and killings. Yet, instead of connecting to the story as a police procedural, Scorsese and screenplay writer Eric Roth choose to connect through the marriage of Molly and Ernest Burkhart. The marriage becomes the image that represents an entire land and its history.

            Molly, played by Lily Gladstone, is one of quiet confidence, love and trust. A character that truly represents the only light and hope we have through this dark film. Through her radiant power on screen, she holds us in. So much so that when her screen time falters, we too feel like we are in an inescapable hell of greed and broken trust. Through Ernest, we see a dimwitted man slowly roped into horrors as he slips further and further into his love of money. Only through this marriage is Ernest finding conflict as he finds genuine love for his wife Molly.

            Ernest fits perfectly next to Jordan Belfort or Henry Hill, as a man losing his humanity in the unabashed love of money and power. Leonardo DiCaprio gives an unbelievable performance as the off-putting and yet slightly stupid Ernest. Becoming a truly transformative role for him behind these strange teeth and rustic accent. Slowly manipulated by the devil in plain sight William Hale, played by the legendary RobertDeNiro ultimately acted out these terrible atrocities.

            “Killers of the Flower Moon” is long and, outside of the opening montage and closing act, extremely measured. You won’t find the extreme pacing of “Wolf of Wall Street” or “Goodfellas” here. Editor Thelma Schoonmaker slowly guides you into a mire of horror and terror, with its unwavering pace and devastating imagery. The only points of hope and light come with the beautiful love between the 4 sisters of Molly, Anna, Rita and Minnie and rituals and spiritualism of the Osage people. This makes an easy connection point for Scorsese and his own obsession with faith and Judeo-Christian beliefs that can be found in one of his most recent epics, “Silence.” He goes to great lengths to show the beauty that is withheld in these moments of spirituality thanks to the full support of the Osage nation in front of and behind the camera.

            As this film finds the uncovering of these murders through the entrance of Jesse Plemons’ character, Tom White, and the other FBI agents, they are able to so easily place together the pieces left behind by these incompetent white settlers and their openly heinous acts. Yet the film still understands that at the center is the relationship between Ernest and Molly, leading to an unbelievably powerful final confrontation of this couple as we see the trust and love so bare and raw as it is fully exposed. Then we are finally left in purgatory, wondering what this relationship was and could ever be.

            Scorsese chooses an alternative path for his finale as he looks inward. Looking at his role as a storyteller and the overarching American story he has told so many times. The director himself reads the obituary of Molly as he looks directly into the screen. Both expose his own shortcomings and boundaries of his art form and yet earnestly pursue truth. We contemplate all these actions as the camera shows a shot of the drums and zooms out to show a dance performed by the Osage nation. Telling us the story that predates the America we know and its terrifying cyclical nature of violence.

            Scorsese’s recent run of films could be classified as his most valuable and virtuosic. His conversion with his own filmography in its stripped-back nature, as well as his wrestling with his own morality, shows in truly masterful late works. Another truly unwavering classic from the great storyteller.

My Rating: 5/5

Recommended Film: “Silence” – Martin Scorsese