Film Journal 2023: The Killers of the Flower Moon

Film Journal 2023: The Killers of the Flower Moon
Directed by Martin Scorsese

It genuinely feels like the skies the limit in terms of this films potential to reward multiple rewatches. I suppose that comes with the territory of a 3 and a half hour epic, but even more so this is due to the mastercraft of one of cinemas greatest living directors.

If The Irishman turned the camera inward in an examination of Scorsese’s career, Killers turns the lense outwards again, this time towards the Osage people and the harrowing murder mystery that frames its source material. In truth, I have a complicated relationship with the Irishman. I felt it was too undisciplined in its approach, taking Scorsese’s penchant for rich human drama and probing complex thematic ideas and playing it through a story structure that seemed to throw caution too the wind. In Killers it feels like he’s married the brilliance of his craft to the sharpness that comes with submitting that vision to the many minds that surround him. There is a kind of collaborative spirit evidenced in this project that strives to shed light on one of the most pertinent issues of our day- the attrocoities experienced by the indigenous peoples by way of colonization. It reminded me a bit of Silence in its approach, marrying a quiet, reflective undercurrent to the intensity of its unfolding drama. In truth, I didn’t feel or notice the 3 and a half run time at all, it’s that absorbing.

One of the choices Scorsese makes here is shifting the vantage point of the story from the detectives to Lily Gladstone’s character Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman whom marries a white man (DiCaprio’s Ernest Burkhart). I enjoyed the story in the book, but found the execution of it a little underwhelming, perhaps given to it being overhyped. The film reaches a good deal beyond the scope of the book by digging into the backdrop that lies behind the story, asking questions about the perspective of the Osage from the inside looking out. The end result is a much richer story with a much more expensive playing field.

If that change in perspective defines the film’s focus, it retains the central beats of the story when it comes to the true crime. Scorsese allows the evils to slowly percolate to the surface over the film’s runtime, giving us a real sense of the systems and the settings that give rise to such attrocoities. Even when we arrive at the story’s craziest moments, one can feel the seasoned Director desperately seeking to try and understand how and why it is these characters arrive at their decisions and do what they do. The commentary feels subtle at times, but deceptively so, and Scorsese picks his moments to really give these themes specific scenes to attach themselves to.

If the film has any issues, it would probably be not diving in to the film’s central relationship even more than it does. There is a slight tension by the time we reach the end that confuses whether this is DiCaprio’s story or Gladstone’s story. We know who the narrator is, but the one who gets the most decisive arc is DiCaprio, whom by the way gives a fascinating performance going from unconfident, well meaning and awkward man to tortured and compromised soul. His usual charisma is muted, and we can see him looking for different ways into his character. I don’t know if it’s his best, but I found it to be one of his more interesting performances.

One of the issues though is that once we are in the thick of the murder mystery, the time and space available to exploring the central relationship lessens, and it left me feeling like Gladstone’s character was left slightly underserved. The way Scorsese tells the story leaves it feeling like she is and needs to be the primary voice, and all the working parts does push back on this ambition and intention ever so slightly.

A small criticism though in a film that takes its subject matter and real world history seriously and with reverence. It bears the weight of the tragedy for it’s subjects, capturing it’s emotional heft in some truly dynamic and awe inspiring sequences. This film is known for its crazy budget, and all of that budget is on display bringing the period piece to life through practical set pieces and a dedication to authenticity, detail and design. It’s a truly stunning set production that serves the sweeping scope of its narrative.

I’m certainly happy to be settled on this one as a mix of curiosity and confidence, fully expecting that it will age gracefully and grow in appreciation over time. There is so much care given to the craft and attention given to the cultural representation, and it’s the sort of emotional punch that is less interested in evoking easy sentiment and tears and instead approaches that in a more cerebral fashion. If the film is a reminder of how privileged we all are to have this guy still making films, it’s concern and impact is far more powerful in its ability to bring the darkness of its characters experiences to light without losing the beauty and humanity of its subjects in the process.