'Killers of the Flower Moon' Review: If Nothing Else, It Means Well
Even for such an experienced auteur as Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon has been one of his most ambitious films yet. Boasting a budget of $200 million dollars, as well as a runtime of more than three hours, it trod the path of Gangs of New York by covering an overlooked and sinister chapter in American history. Based on the non-fiction book by David Grann, the film depicts a series of murders committed in Oklahoma during the 1920s. These murders were part of an attempt to rob an entire tribe of its wealth, and it was carried out in such a callous manner that it helped give rise to the FBI in response.
When oil was discovered on Osage-held lands, the tribe became incredibly wealthy. Unfortunately, the U.S. government assigned legal guardians to manage the Osage people’s money, since they were deemed ‘incompetent’. Worse still, white fortune hunters descended upon Osage lands, eagerly marrying into the tribe to get their hands on all that oil money. One of these unscrupulous men is Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), the nephew of wealthy cattle rancher William Hale (Robert De Niro). Burkhart sets his eye on Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), marries her, and begins a family within the Osage community. He also joins his brother and uncle in a plot to murder Mollie’s relatives so that their headrights will pass to Mollie. Others are murdered in the process, and the body count eventually prompts the federal government to act. Tom White (Jesse Plemons) spearheads an investigation into the murders, even as Hale and Ernest scramble to cover their tracks.
There is a lot which one can praise about the film. The cinematography by Rodriego Prieto is yet another triumph in his already impressive resume. The late, great Robbie Robertson, a regular Scorsese collaborator, provides one last haunting score for this film. On top of all that, Scorsese was utterly meticulous in his efforts to recreate the 1920s Osage society. The Osage themselves were actively involved in making this film as authentic as possible. As for the performances, there isn’t a single weak link. De Niro and DiCaprio, both of them staple Scorsese collaborators, are finally in the same film under Scorsese’s direction. Although they are both at least thirty years older than their historical counterparts, they are chillingly good at playing these two evil men who posed as friends to the Osage while ruthlessly eliminating them. Gladstone gives it her all as Mollie, who is forced to watch her relatives die one by one, even as their killers feign sympathy to her face. Tantoo Cardinal and Cara Jade Myers stand out (albeit far too briefly) as Mollie’s mother and eldest sister, respectively. There is also a short appearance by Brendan Fraser as Hale’s lawyer; broadly theatrical in the courtroom and ebulliently sinister in the backroom, Fraser gives an electrifying performance for what little screen time he has.
It’s clear what Scorsese wanted to do with this film. Killers of the Flower Moon shines a necessary spotlight on a story which was hastily swept under the rug even before it was played out. We are privy to the cold-blooded conversations between the men who murdered dozens in the name of single-minded greed. Their plans are organized and carried out with devastating results, filmed in excruciating (and possibly triggering) detail. It is a recurring theme of Scorsese’s filmography to examine crime from the point of view of the criminals rather than their victims or law enforcement. While an argument can be made that Scorsese is indulging in the violence, one must not ignore how starkly that violence is being portrayed. While violence was heavily dramatized in such films as Goodfellas and Casino, this film tends to depict the carnage without cutaways, rapid editing, or musical accompaniment. We are almost spectators to the brutality, and each murder is deeply unsettling as a result.
However, the film is not above criticism. The running time is daunting, and some scenes will feel indulgent to many. It’s also worth pointing out that Scorsese wanted to do justice to the Osage people’s stories. He has often pointed out how he rewrote the script in accordance with advice he got from the Osage, who were actively involved in the production. Sadly, his good intentions fall flat when the film’s Osage characters, even Mollie Kyle, have less personality and fewer lines than the white men who either murder them or investigate their murders. Tom White only appears in the last third of the film, and he has more lines than all three of Mollie’s sisters combined. Moreover, the character of Ernest is given the benefit of being portrayed as a simpleton, manipulated into murder by his uncle. He is even given sympathetic moments, many of them revolving around his alleged love for Mollie and their children. Whether this emphasizes his monstrous actions or undermines them is a hotly debated topic, but anyone who has read the book will know that Ernest’s brutal actions were actually downplayed for the film version. Another thing which was downplayed is the scope of these murders. A conspiracy of hundreds is often whittled down to just Hale, his nephews, and their lackeys. Granted, this a film, not a documentary, but it does a disservice to the appalling treatment of the Osage people. Mollie’s heroism, at least, is given some focus in the middle of her suffering. It is partly through her efforts that the federal government is forced to intervene, and she refuses to be compliant in the face of her people’s decimation. She serves as an example of what could have been, perhaps if the film had been made by Indigenous filmmakers who could do justice to the Indigenous perspective. Of course, when Indigenous stories continue to face steep uphill battles in Hollywood, perhaps every little bit is a gain.
It’s somewhat ironic that a film made just the year before Killers of the Flower Moon could serve as a response to it. Bones of Crows is a harrowing and brilliant Canadian film made by Métis auteur Marie Clements from an Indigenous perspective. The characters are given genuine depth beyond their suffering at the hands of white society. Their oppressors are devastatingly human in their cruelty towards people whom they see as inferior. And for all the violations that the Indigenous characters suffer in that film, they nevertheless have the chance to endure and prove their humanity time and time again. Anyone interested in seeing and supporting authentic Indigenous art should give that film a watch.