Killers of the Flower Moon is Simply a Masterpiece

Killers of the Flower Moon is probably the third most anticipated film of the year. It's no wonder – Martin Scorsese isn't only a director by now, the man is an entire universe. He has basically never did wrong, and his filmography includes Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas. We could go on, but there are better places on the wide webs for summing up all the man’s classics.

Scorsese – a master and visionary

Killers of the Flower Moon, 2023, Martin Scorsese, Apple

The idea was developing in the director's mind for a very long time. Many famous actresses and actors were rumored to be joining the cinematic adaptation of the actual story, also depicted in the best-seller reportage under the same title. This subject to gracefully revise the patriotic myth of American history’s supposed benevolence, once again paying dues to all those involved in the aftermath of one of the most treacherous acts of fraud in history of the nation. The entire concept, however, requires an understanding of the complexity of the predicament and a sensitivity for implicit biases. It's a narrative centered around dialogue, similar to Oppenheimer, a production where action is secondary.

Probably any other director would have delivered just a decent, rather unengaging film; something of an Oscar nominee with slim chances to win, but with great music. This is what sets Scorsese apart when compared to the rest: by focusing on leading the actors, careful pace of editing, or taking time to show multiple sides of the conflict, he extracts something admirable from this drama. Some people suggested that a white, American director shouldn't really make a film, in which patriarchy is one of the greatest villains. Scorsese, like a chameleon, decided to adapt to both sides of the coin: from the very beginning, he took the perspective of the victims, but didn't forget about the American ancestors. He prioritized truth, thereby not attempting to justify the actions of any historical figure.

Life writes gruesome tales

Killers of the Flower Moon, 2023, Martin Scorsese, Apple

Killers of the Flower Moon is set in the 1920s. It's a tale of envy driving good people to commit terrible deeds; in other words, it exposes our deeply hidden demons. As we learn in the prologue, at one time, the Osage Nation were among the wealthiest inhabitants of the United States. Their lands happened to be situated over extensive oil reserves in Oklahoma, which proved to be a short-lived salvation for their dismal financial and social situation at the time. They sold their land in exchange for tens of millions of dollars, which in 1920s was a truly exuberant amount. However, had they known the course of events this eventually led to, they would have probably never agreed.

Some Americans were determined to eliminate the Osage tribe and take over their possessions, as their wealth attracted those seeking easy profit. One of these individuals was William Hale (Robert De Niro), a wealthy, conservative businessman who played his own game under the guise of friendship with the Osages. To assist him, he recruited Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), a foolish nephew, whom Hale uses for his wicked cons. Ernest, on the other hand, just loves money. Nothing's more important to him, even though he makes august declarations about his own values, which only deepens his ambivalence. In fact, no order will be distasteful to him, which leads us to the conclusion that maybe his "mask" is also a kind of show he himself puts up.

It's a magnetic experience: it's scary to think that everything we watch on the screen for the next few hours actually took place. If this were just fiction, we would say that the script is far too precise, too flawless, so it feels too much ‘like a movie’ – there's a touch of falsehood creeping in. Unfortunately, it all really happened – the old rule that life writes the most terrifying stories applies. The creators' meticulous approach to recreating these infamous events is also impressive.

Knowledge of the literary original isn't required – the clarity and accessibility of Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon is its next (and maybe the main?) thrust. This doesn't change the fact that reading David Grann's reportage (which we recommend) only reinforces our conviction of the high level of execution of this entire film – from focusing on facts to showing all the actors in this tragic story.

Give Leo another Oscar!

Killers of the Flower Moon, 2023, Martin Scorsese, Apple

For several months, it has been speculated that Cillian Murphy is among the top contenders for the Academy award for best actor. However, it seems that Leonardo DiCaprio's performance in Killers of the Flower Moon has a chance to compete with Murphy's performance in the equally outstanding Oppenheimer. DiCaprio hovers somewhere between self-awareness and foolish confusion, and this dual-plane maneuver will at least earn him a nomination for the prestigious award.

DiCaprio's character is supposedly scared of his uncle and constantly emphasizes that he isn't like him, but when his uncle assigns him various "tasks," he never objects, as if he knew that it all comes down to one – money, which will secure all in their future. When the Osage family closest to him (Ernest is married to one of the natives) begins to die in mysterious circumstances, he swears he has nothing to do with it. However, as time passes, it becomes increasingly difficult for us to trust Ernest due to our knowledge of his uncle's nature. Let's not forget that Ernest is a man of words: even though he talks a lot about love, what matters to him is his peculiar way of talking and concentrating on what is convenient for him. When, at one point, he emphasizes that he prefers money over his wife, we already know what type of man he is.

It's also worth mentioning Robert De Niro's role (finally moving away from comedy) and Lily Gladstone, an excellent actress playing an Osage woman named Mollie. She and Ernest fall in love and get married, but it's hard to say whether Ernest chose to do it out of love, or was it part of his uncle's plan. The ambiguity in their relationship becomes another driving force for Killers of the Flower Moon. If we aren't familiar with the reportage, we won't know what's going on in Ernest's head until the very end. Moreover, DiCaprio masks his emotions and true intentions brilliantly. Thus, we come into contact with the dumbest genius walking on American soil.

Over three hours (in an hour)

Killers of the Flower Moon, 2023, Martin Scorsese, Apple

Killers of the Flower Moon’s over 180 minutes screening flies by at an incredibly fast pace. There's nothing to be afraid of; this isn't The Irishman. Actually, that gangster movie has nothing on Scorsese’s latest. Every scene serves a purpose here (showing a specific problem or helping us understand the complexity of the characters), and it even reaches a moment where we start to fully appreciate the length of the film. We just want to stay in this amazing atmosphere of American folklore, even though it may be dangerous. However, we want to explore and discover the answers of the investigation into one of the saddest stories in the long history of the US of A.

So, it seems that Martin Scorsese is the one who understands modern cinema best, and can scold Marvel or other generic blockbusters is he so pleases. Even at the age of 81, he surpasses most directors (not just his generation) and, almost effortlessly, presents us with one of the most significant films of the year and beyond. Passion, hard work, talent, and determination – all these qualities are evident in one film, even after fifty years in the industry. If this is to be Scorsese's final masterpiece, then let it be. We didn't deserve it anyway. Let's enjoy the fact that we live in such a fascinating period for cinema!

OUR SCORE: 9,5/10

Jan Tracz

Jan Tracz

Graduated Film Studies (BA and MA) at King's College London, UK. Currently, he writes for Collider, WhyNow, The Upcoming, Ayo News, Interia Film, Przegląd, Film.org.pl, and Gamepressure.com. He has had publications in FIPRESCI, Eye For Film, British Thoughts Magazine, KINO, Magazyn PANI, WP Film, NOIZZ, Papaya Rocks, Tygodnik Solidarnosc, and Filmawka. He has also collaborated with Rock Radio and Movies Room. Conducted interviews with Alejandro González Ińárritu, Lasse Hallström, Michel Franco, Matthew Lewis, and David Thomson. His published works include an essay in the anthology "Nikt Nikomu Nie Tlumaczy: Swiat wedlug Kiepskich w kulturze" (Brak Przypisu Publishing, 2023). Laureate of the Leopold Unger Scholarship in 2023. Member of the Young FIPRESCI Jury during WFF 2023.