Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon is a Crime/Western film that tells the true story of the Osage Reign of Terror, an era in the 1920s when members of the Osage Nation were murdered in order to steal oil wealth. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Ernest Burkhart, an FBI agent tasked with investigating the killings, and Lily Gladstone as Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman who is determined to protect her family and community (RollingStone).
Scorsese is one of the best in American cinema, and Killers of the Flower Moon is one of his finest works. The film is visually appealing, with top tier cinematography and meticulous detail of the time period. The actors are top-notch as well, with DiCaprio and Gladstone delivering powerful performances as usual. Ramapo senior, Chris Werkley, intends on watching the movie in the near future. Chris stated, “I’ve been super excited to watch this movie ever since I watched the trailer. The cast is super strong so I am sure they are going to deliver.”
What really sets Killers of the Flower Moon apart is its accurate portrayal of the racism and greed that led to the Osage murders. Scorsese does not shy away from the darkness of the events, but he also finds the right moments to showcase themes of hope and resilience. The movie critiques American history, but shows how resilient the human spirit can be.
A huge takeaway of the film is its performances. Both DiCaprio and Gladstone are both excellent in their lead roles. DiCaprio delivers an amazing performance as Ernest Burkhart, a man who is troubled by the horrors he witnesses throughout the film (IMDb). Mollie Burkhart is a strong and determined woman who fights for her family and community. Similarly, Ramapo Senior, Volodymyr Malinovsky, just recently watched the film and shared, “The cast did an amazing job matching the amount of hype it had surrounding it. The movie was pretty long but I was able to stay entertained for most of the time.”
Killers of the Flower Moon is a long film, at over three hours, but the film’s cinematic elements and unique characters make watching well worth it. Scorsese has crafted cinema that is extremely entertaining and perceived well by many.
