29.10.23
Killers of the Flower Moon is not a masterpiece. And in the annals of history, I don’t think this will go down as one of Scorsese’s Top 10 films. But it’s still one of the most memorable films of 2023 so far. For all that impresses, and there is much that does, the film toils due to its episodic style and predictable plotting, which I’d argue is different than levelling it with the lazy criticism of simply being ‘overlong’.
7 years in the making and with a 200 million dollar budget, Martin Scorsese’s epic-in-scope Western details the unfathomable ‘slow massacre’ of the Osage Indians by duplicitous men attempting to ‘buy-in’ to the rich native families following the First World War. Reading that last line back to myself reminds me of my main criticism of the film; I truly think it would have worked better as a TV show helmed by its studio, Apple TV, rather than a storyline within the constraints of cinema, that I felt was pretty underwhelming.
Based on David Grann’s sprawling book, Killers of the Flower Moon is impressively well made and the vast majority of the cast (aside from the over-the-top lawyer played by Brenden Fraser) give natural, believable performances that are just so fantastic to behold. Scorsese’s direction and screenplay, co-written with Eric Roth, chronicled this dark chapter of American history in elaborate detail. De Niro plays the villain well, albeit predictably, and Scorsese’s top boy DiCaprio acts his face off in gurning glory. But it’s Lily Gladstone who impresses the most with her stoic, undertowed performance. She’s the highlight of every scene she’s in, with her intense but reserved persona and occasional emotional releases dominating key moments of the film.
But through DiCaprio, Burkhart’s actions strain believability. He is portrayed as a simpleton, easily manipulated by his uncle without being a convincing wrongdoer. The suspense is minimal as we see the murders unfold step-by-step rather than building anxious tension. This is another personal gripe of the film that for me holds it back from being Scorsese’s best, making it nothing like Goodfellas, The Departed or The Irishmen in terms of dramatic narrative.
My overall feeling is that Scorsese seems unable to cut superfluous scenes that lead to unavoidable repetition. He can’t decide on a genre, trying to be a drama, mystery, political statement and love story all at once. While I recommend seeing Killers of the Flower Moon and respect the hard work and dedication to historical facts, it is ultimately a film to be admired rather than fully enjoyed. The strengths of Scorsese feel wasted despite the exemplary camerawork, lead performances and production values. A really good film but not the great one that we should have expected, and I am sure that will be the film’s legacy, although I’d love to see Gladstone pick up some awards and rightful recognition.