At 80 years old, Martin Scorsese continues to prove why he is deservedly regarded as one of the greatest directors of all time with his new release ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’.
Set across the backdrop of 1920s Oklahoma, Killers of the Flower Moon tells the true story of the exploitation and murder of the Osage people after oil was discovered on their land.
Boasting an incredible trio of performances by Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, and Robert De Niro, directed by legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese.
First of all, Leonardo DiCaprio is at his all-time best here, expertly playing the flawed and complex character of Ernest Burkhart.
Over the 206-minute runtime, DiCaprio transforms into his character – toying with the audience’s judgement of him throughout
But Lily Gladstone is the standout. A new face to most theatregoers, she is compelling in the film and cements herself as the front runner for an academy award.
Playing Mollie Kyle, Gladstone is the heart of the film and shows immense range from bashful love to devastating grief as her people around her are murdered one by one.
Robert De Niro is of course brilliant as well.
In the tenth feature film collaboration between himself and Scorsese, De Niro expertly plays an unnerving, powerful figure in the community and from the very instant he is on screen, he challenges the audience to place the intentions of his character.
Scorsese has been very vocal about his desire to get this grim story into the public eye and throughout production he consulted with the Osage Nation regularly to ensure the story was told in a respectful and true to life manner
Adapted from a book of the same name, the narrative becomes increasingly depraved and twisted throughout its runtime.
There is still the signature violence and graphic injury detail synonymous with earlier Scorsese work, but it is used very sparingly.
The shocking and disturbing nature of the film instead comes from the story itself and the injustice experienced by the Osage people.
Especially when many people today would not even know about these tragedies.
Even before release, the biggest criticism of the film was its runtime. Clocking in just shy of three and a half hours, it can be daunting to a lot of the audience.
But down to expert pacing, a pulsing jazz score and immaculate editing, this film manages to hide an hour of its runtime and keep viewers invested.
The legendary filmmaker has recently spoken a lot about his own mortality and not having enough time left to tell all the stories he wants to tell.
Speaking to Deadline, he said “The whole world has opened up to me, but it’s too late. It’s too late. I want to tell stories but there’s no more time”.
He may be feeling his age, but the man is still one of the best working directors today.
Whether it is the elaborate world-building scene of the hustle and bustle of Oklahoma early on in the film, seen through the eyes of DiCaprio.
Or smaller scale scenes of confrontation shot from a distance as characters stray more and more towards violence – not once do you feel as if you are not in the hands of a master film maker.
Many people are saying that these are Scorsese’s best years as a filmmaker. I’m not sure if I agree, but it is hard to disagree.
Regardless, it is incredible to see someone with a passion for cinema so huge that even 55 years into his career, he is still pushing himself to tell original stories with completely different themes to other films in his catalogue.
Killers of the Flower Moon is an immaculately crafted tale of moral corruption and exploitation set across a vibrant and bustling American backdrop.
Supported by some of the best performances of the year, this slow burn won’t be to everyone’s taste, but if you’re looking to settle into a beautifully shot, original and important story then you will love this.