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Killers of the Flower Moon showcases everything one would expect in a Martin Scorsese movie. In this case, it is both a blessing and a curse, making Killers of the Flower Moon a movie that is on one hand, artistically beautiful to look at, top-notch performances, expertly edited.
On the other hand, it’s a film that languishes in its bloated run time whose emphasis is the disgusting, pitiless evil that white men do.
At around the two and half hour mark, I felt dirty and disgusting. With another hour to go, it was a little too late when someone of virtue came into the picture. The movie had lost me.
MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL
Based on the true crime novel of the same name, Killers of the Flower Moon chronicles what is known as The Osage Reign of Terror taking place between 1921 and 1926.
As a title card explains, The Osage Indians reservation, just outside of Pawhuska Oklahoma sits atop one of the largest oil deposits in the country. Making The Osage Tribe the wealthiest group of people in the country per capita.
For the love of money is the root of all evil. This is exemplified as we’re introduced to Earnest Burkhart, keenly played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Earnest in name only, he is returning from war and one of his first lines is: “I do love money.” As does his uncle, played with venomous sincerity by Robert DeNiro, Cattle Barron William “King” Hale with whom Ernest is going to live along with his brother Byron Burkhart.
Ernest, acclimating to civilian life becomes a cabbie. He offers a ride to Molly, an Osage woman of wealth. The two begin a relationship that leads to marriage. A marriage that Hale looks to exploit.
Molly begins to see a pattern. A pattern of which she is the center. Family members and relatives begin dying or go inexplicably missing. She too begins to fall into ill-health believing it is her diabetes. Even the newly acclaimed drug, insulin, isn’t helping her. No help from the local law only increases her paranoia. She seeks other means of investigation only leading to more missing people and roadblocks. Her husband, Ernest only offers some comfort and her two shots a day of insulin.
source: Apple Original Films
Her constant pleas for help cause concern for Hale. For he has set in motion a nefarious plot to usurp Molly and the family of her legal oil profit.
VILLAINS, VIOLENCE AND ADAPTATION
There is no mystery in Killers of the Flower Moon as to who the villains are.
In the first two-plus hours or so of the movie one witnesses remorseless violence against innocent people unknowing they’re the target of sinister schemes. I found it less graphic than other Scorsese movies but because it was metered out by such horrid motivation I was nauseated.
William King Hale’s intentions are of pure malevolence and greed. He is the architect of the savagery that takes place. His merciless actions and manipulation of town folk and family shield him from criminal accusations.
The book was adapted by Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese. Their manipulation of character focus and events change the novel’s dynamic. The movie version lacks, or better yet, sidelines what should be the movie’s soul: Molly Burkhart. Brilliantly played by Lily Gladstone, she delivers a performance of stoicism and grace.
Oh, how better this movie could’ve been had her character been the main focus instead of being sidelined in bed for the majority of the film. What makes it worse, is knowing what is being done to her character. She is suffering what on appearance is a slow ghastly death.
And it drags on.
With each shot of spiked insulin, Molly’s appearance and health deteriorate. She is rendered inactive. One feels horrible about her dire situation due to circumstances. As portrayed here, Molly is unable to provide or offer much assistance to the one character who can enact some semblance of justice. Former Texas Ranger, now an investigator for the Bureau of Investigation, Tom White.
Here again is an intentional focal shift from the book where White is pretty much the lead trying to connect the dots and figure out the depths of depravity taking place. In the movie, White shows up beyond the midway point of the story. Played by Jesse Plemons with actual earnestness as an unflappable man of the law shows up almost a little too late.
Tom White in reality is a character of some historic significance. He is spearheading and investigation for an organization that eventually becomes the FBI. Unless you’re a history buff that nuance is lost.
source: AppleTV+
Perhaps Scorsese and Roth didn’t want to be accused of being Saved by the White Man syndrome. So, they modified history a bit to further instill white man’s indignities towards the indigenous peoples.
SEE THE MOVIE IN IMAX
Cinematographer, Rodrigo Prieto, a frequent collaborator with Scorsese, paints a vivid picture of the Oklahoma landscape. Showing off the lush green colour of the land the way John Ford captured the gold and yellow hues of Monument Valley, Killers of the Flower Moon looks gorgeous. I can further attest watching the film in IMAX format was eye-fetchedly immersive.
Martin Scorsese showcases a masterclass of direction. He knows what’s artistic and what will visually punch you. He and his go-to editor, Thelma Schoomaker have worked together since 1980. They clearly share the same visual language! It’s on fine display here. A lot of the film is characters talking. There’s actual dialogue. In the hands of Scorsese and Schoomaker, they make it kinetic. My only knock being, together they probably could’ve cut about an hour out of the runtime. It would’ve made the movie more bearable. If felt prolonged. To have a murder explained multiple times and then as if they believed I couldn’t actually picture it on my own, they show it! At that point, it was superfluous.
AN ENDURANCE TEST RATHER THAN ENGAGING ENTERTAINMENT
Killers of the Flower Moon never bores but it never wowed me either. I felt stuck in a quagmire of distaste and hatred. I felt as if I was being given a lesson. To a great extent, I was. I didn’t know of Osage Indians, their wealth, and what lengths folks went to steal it from them. All of it was abhorrent. It’s a part of our dark American history that didn’t need to be made darker. The end of the movie makes it clear who the main character should’ve been. Yet the movie’s true heart runs as black as oil and filled with avarice. Sitting through 3 ½ hours of repugnant behavior proved to be more of an endurance test rather than engaging, thoughtful entertainment. Perhaps it is time for Scorsese to move on from his admiration of true-life bad guys and prove movies such as Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, After Hours and Hugo weren’t one-offs.
Killers of the Flower Moon was released in theaters on October 20th, 2023. It will be released to Apple TV+ in the future.
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