Killers of the Flower Moon is yet another Martin Scorsese masterpiece. Unique and authentic, many years in the making, the murder-thriller brought mixed feelings and loads of suspense. It’s always great to see Leonardo DiCaprio and Scorsese working together and in this, their first film since Wolf of Wall Street back in 2013, there is truly a lot in store. Especially with Robert De Niro thrown in the mix.
Killers of the Flower Moon takes place in Oklahoma in the 1920s. Members of the Osage tribe are being murdered after oil is found on their land. The murders are grisly, the town is in shock, and the members of the tribe are scared for their life.
The film introduces its audience to Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio) and William Hale (De Niro). Ernest is back in town after serving in the war and he starts working with William, who is his uncle. William is a big shot in the town, but he has some shady business practices, and maybe worse. He also resents sharing the land with the Osage tribe and this creates problems. Wealth and greed start to take center stage, and that is what William is all about. Ernest is married to a Native American, Mollie Burkhart (played by Lily Gladstone), and that adds to his problems. He’s also doing some of William’s dirty work, which puts he and Molly at risk. Law enforcement is lacking for a while, but nothing stays hidden for long in Killers of the Flower Moon.
Eventually the Bureau of Investigations (precursor to the FBI) begins to investigate the Osage murders. When Det. Tom White (played by Jesse Plemons) comes to town the tension grows for Ernest and William. The fear experienced by the Osage people is palpable and William’s desire for their land, and what he is willing to do to get it, is the cause of much of this fear. Ernest is mostly on the same page as William, but he doesn’t have the same personality as his uncle and their different personalities bring them down a road of conflict and deceit. The heightening anxiety that flows for the characters in Killers of the Flower Moon is also anxiety-provoking for the audience.
As a die-hard fan of the films of Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon made me think of The Departed, my favorite Scorsese film of all time. The chemistry that DiCaprio has with De Niro in Killers of the Flower Moon is almost like the chemistry DiCaprio had with Jack Nicholson in The Departed. This one has a similar vibe, but the intensity is more mentally invigorating in this one than the extreme violence of The Departed. There is of course violence, that comes with territory, but Killers of the Flower Moon is relentless, thought-provoking, and truly dazzling on a psychological level. Some of the outcomes will also take its audiences by surprise. Three and a half out of four stars for Killers of the Flower Moon.
