Whenever Martin Scorsese directs a film, I and most anyone who knows his work expects greatness. He is arguably, the greatest working American director. So expectations for me were very high going into Killers of the Flower Moon. Like is common these days, the film was very hyped and the running time was also given alit of discussion. I have never been a big complainer about running time but some films these days do feel like they run too long. This film is almost 3 and a half hours long and I have to say that as good as this film is it dies feel like it could have used some trimming.
The film is based on a true story set in the 1920s where members of the Osage Native American tribe of Osage County, Oklahoma, are murdered after oil is found on their land. The main character is Ernest Burkhart, played by Leonardo DiCaprio in one of his best performances. In 1918, Ernest Burkhart returns from World War I to his rancher uncle William "King" Hale, who lives with Ernest's brother Byron on the reservation. Hale is played by Robert DeNiri in his best performances in a very long time. Hale is a well regarded figure in Osage, especially by the members of the Osage tribe. Hale tried to influence Ernest by telling him to get close to Molly Kyle, who's family owns much of the oil land headlights in Osage. Molly is played by Lily Gladstone in a performance that is surely to get a lot of praise. She is the heart of film. Ernest and Molly fall in love and marry but Ernest is working with his uncle the whole time scheming to take advantage of getting the headlights for his uncle from planning the deaths of many in Molly's family.
To say that Ernest is likeable it would be an overstatement but Dicaprio plays him with a certain charm and even stupidity that we as an audience don't totally hate him. Scorsese has dealt with evil people in his films many times before but the difference here is that the violence is not as prevalent as his other films. There are so e jarring scenes of violence but what this film has is a real sense of dread. Molly has diabetes and is sick most of the film but us a victim of the scheme to steal from her people. She is a very sympathetic character and if I have a complaint is that I would have liked the film to be told a.littkr more fro.her perspective. Eventually the Osage tribe get the BOI to investigate the murders. The main agent, Tom White is played very well by Jesse Plemons..
The film is really not a mystery because we know who is involved in the murders but it is very involving anyway. I would say that the running to e is justified but I would have wanted a little more focus on Molly and her family. Is it a film that you need to invest some time and patience into it? Yes. Is is a little too long? Yes. But is great that there is a filmmaker like Martin Scorsese out there that wants to to tell stories like this.
Not quite on the level of some of his masterpieces, but close ...
Grade: A-
The film is based on a true story set in the 1920s where members of the Osage Native American tribe of Osage County, Oklahoma, are murdered after oil is found on their land. The main character is Ernest Burkhart, played by Leonardo DiCaprio in one of his best performances. In 1918, Ernest Burkhart returns from World War I to his rancher uncle William "King" Hale, who lives with Ernest's brother Byron on the reservation. Hale is played by Robert DeNiri in his best performances in a very long time. Hale is a well regarded figure in Osage, especially by the members of the Osage tribe. Hale tried to influence Ernest by telling him to get close to Molly Kyle, who's family owns much of the oil land headlights in Osage. Molly is played by Lily Gladstone in a performance that is surely to get a lot of praise. She is the heart of film. Ernest and Molly fall in love and marry but Ernest is working with his uncle the whole time scheming to take advantage of getting the headlights for his uncle from planning the deaths of many in Molly's family.
To say that Ernest is likeable it would be an overstatement but Dicaprio plays him with a certain charm and even stupidity that we as an audience don't totally hate him. Scorsese has dealt with evil people in his films many times before but the difference here is that the violence is not as prevalent as his other films. There are so e jarring scenes of violence but what this film has is a real sense of dread. Molly has diabetes and is sick most of the film but us a victim of the scheme to steal from her people. She is a very sympathetic character and if I have a complaint is that I would have liked the film to be told a.littkr more fro.her perspective. Eventually the Osage tribe get the BOI to investigate the murders. The main agent, Tom White is played very well by Jesse Plemons..
The film is really not a mystery because we know who is involved in the murders but it is very involving anyway. I would say that the running to e is justified but I would have wanted a little more focus on Molly and her family. Is it a film that you need to invest some time and patience into it? Yes. Is is a little too long? Yes. But is great that there is a filmmaker like Martin Scorsese out there that wants to to tell stories like this.
Not quite on the level of some of his masterpieces, but close ...
Grade: A-