David Grann’s Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI was published in 2017. The book tells the real-life story of how members of the Osage people were murdered after gaining wealth from oil. Grann’s book received rave reviews from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Publishers Weekly, so Hollywood soon came calling. In 2016, Imperative Entertainment bought the film rights for $5 million, with Martin Scorsese announced to be helming the project. Paramount Pictures originally announced they’d distribute the film in 2019 but were unsure due to the $200 million budget. While filming was delayed due to COVID-19, Scorsese made a deal with Apple TV+ to co-finance and co-distribute the film. The movie was shot in Osage County and Washington County, Oklahoma, from April to October 2021. After premiering at Cannes, Killers of the Flower Moon hit theaters in October 2023.
%
Rating
Synopsis
In 1918, Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) returns from the war to meet his uncle William “King” Hale (Robert De Niro). While Ernest was away, the Osage acquired mass amounts of wealth after discovering oil, which upsets Hale despite his appearance. He asks Ernest to work as a driver for Mollie Kyle (Lilly Gladstone), an Osage whose family owns the land. The two develop a relationship and get married, entitling Ernest to a share of the land should Mollie’s family die. While Hale has several Osage killed secretly, Ernest is ordered to poison Mollie’s insulin, slowly killing her without her realizing. News of the murders reaches Washington, D.C., so the Bureau of Investigation sends Agent Tom White (Jesse Plemons) to investigate. Though they try covering everything up, Ernest and Hale must answer for their crimes as everything crumbles around them.
Review
Martin Scorsese is one of those rare filmmakers who still delivers quality cinema even in his twilight years. His latest epic, Killers of the Flower Moon, is no exception, as it gives Oppenheimer a run for its money. First and foremost, the movie is three and a half hours long, but its lengthy runtime is justified. There is so much story to be had that this could’ve worked as a six-hour miniseries on HBO. Plus, it’s one of those movies that keeps you engaged throughout its extended runtime, a rare feat. It helps that the film has an engaging story that continually builds tension and never lets up. It’s a story of love, betrayal, greed, and prejudice that tackles one of America’s more troubled tales. The film also has some incredible production design, which makes you feel like you’re in early 20th-century Oklahoma.
Like many of Scorsese’s films, the performances are excellent all across the board, from the leads to the supporting cast. As easy as it would’ve been to phone in his performance, Robert De Niro proves he can still kill it. Even at 80, De Niro has such a commanding presence as the outwardly friendly but secretly evil King Hale. Leonardo Di Caprio gives what might be the best performance of his career as the conflicted Ernest Burkhart. You can tell he wants to make his uncle happy but also loves his wife despite his terrible actions. However, the real stand-out is Lily Gladstone, who perfectly matches Di Caprio’s wild energy with a quiet, tragic demeanor. If any actor deserves an Oscar, it’s her, just for the lengths she goes through during the film. There are also significant supporting roles from John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser, Louis Cancelmi, and Martin Scorsese.
Scorsese and company went to great lengths to be as accurate to the Osage’s history and culture as possible. While I’ve never read the book or know everything about the Osage Nation, I’m sure Scorsese did his job well. Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography effectively captures the Oklahoma plains’ beauty, and Robbie Robertson’s haunting score compliments the story. Plenty of slow moments might come off as dull, but they help make the harsher scenes more impactful. Without going into spoilers, the best way to describe the ending is bittersweet: there’s some hope, but it’s still tragic. Aside from its lengthy runtime, it’s challenging to think of anything wrong with this film. Between this and Christopher Nolan’s biopic, it will be tough to decide what’s the best movie of 2023. Overall, Killers of the Flower Moon is another epic in Martin Scorsese’s historic career that deserves its critical acclaim.
Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link, which means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
