Rating: 4.5/5

It is not much of a hot take to say that Martin Scorsese (“The Irishman”) is one of the greatest filmmakers of our time. Considering his age and how long he has been in the industry, it is truly special to see a new film of his, in theaters, in 2023. “Killers of the Flower Moon” focuses on the mass murder plot of the Osage Nation in 1920s Oklahoma after oil is found on the tribal land, making it extremely valuable. It also follows up the Tulsa race riots that occurred in 1921.

The runtime, which clocks in at 3 hours and 26 minutes, is not much of an issue. Yes, the film feels long, but it does not drag on or feel slow. Every scene feels integral to the story and glues the audience to the screen. The pacing is almost too good for how much is packed into the film. People love to complain about long runtimes for films nowadays and it feels so annoying and tiring at this point. As long as the film warrants such a terrific length, it should not be much of a problem.

The performances are fantastic and bring the film to a level one would expect in a classic Scorsese picture. Leonardo DiCaprio (“Don’t Look Up”), a frequent collaborator of Scorsese, is a clear standout as the humanized villain Ernest Burkhart. Another frequent collaborator and standout, Robert DeNiro (“Goodfellas”), plays William King Hale, the real-life mastermind behind the murders and Ernest’s uncle. Jesse Plemons (“The Power of the Dog”) and John Lithgow (“Bombshell”) are good as well. But Lily Gladstone (“Certain Women”) has probably the most important performance of the film as Mollie. Not only is it powerful, but her character being an Osage Nation Native American gave the film the perspective it needed so the people of Osage Nation could feel seen and heard. It also made the story feel as authentic as possible. It would be off-putting to only have a colonizer’s perspective of these tragic, often forgotten events in Tribal history.

One aspect that will probably get overlooked is the score. It lingers in the background even if it is not that prominent. It gives the film an ominous feel and plays well into the 1920s Oklahoma setting with the subtle guitar strings. 

The story that is being told is significant. It is one that may not have been taught in high school history textbooks when it should have been. The way the murders are shown in this film are done in the most brutal yet realistic way imaginable–a death is a constant, which places you in the shoes of the Osage people and the pain they endured, all because colonizers found a pot of gold on their land and wanted it for themselves. With how well the film is shot, showcasing the Osage land and getting intimate with the characters’ interactions, feelings and emotions, Scorsese provides the story justice with authenticity and great world building.

Overall, “Killers of the Flower Moon” is devastatingly beautiful. The runtime can make it hard to rewatch and it was not as entertaining as some of Scorsese’s other films, but it did not need to be. To put it bluntly, this is cinema in its purest form: a piece of art that brings attention to an often overlooked, tragic event in American history.

Image from Paramount Pictures via Youtube.com