Review: 'Killers of the Flower Moon' has De Niro, DiCaprio & Scorsese with Gladstone creating a cinematic gem

Killers of the Flower Moon

Telling a story about the Osage community set in the 1920s Indian Country, Oklahoma, can come across as a deeply American story that might or might not appeal to the Indian audience. But that's just a garb undertaken by legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese, who presents this true-crime whodunit saga about deeply flawed characters and a community that has never been portrayed with such accuracy and finesse. 

Scorsese assembles his regulars - Academy Award winners Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio along with a sensational Lily Gladstone to present a three-and-a-half spectacle that acts like a visual book - one that is assisted with spectacular clarity in the story. While that might be enough for you to look forward to it, here's me telling you the good and not-so-good aspects of 'Killers of the Flower Moon' (KOTFM) that might help you decide whether to watch it or not-

The Osage Community

The sheer attention to detail, research and accuracy that Scorsese and his team have practised leads to what appears to be a stupendous portrayal of the Osage people.  A community living their life are struck with 'black gold' after their land saw the birth of oil in the said era, then leading to American capitalists, greedy mongers and just cruel men taking the opportunity to make the most of it by one way or another. 

I don't know much about the Osage people from the past, but from the looks of it, the representation, choice of actors, costumes, production design and all other factors make it look flawless. The idea of a period film is to transport you into the world, and there's absolutely no doubt whatsoever that KOTFM does that almost instantly and fabulously.

Gruesome, Engaging & Riveting

Anyone who is not used to a runtime that spans even about three hours might be affected by that here as the film clocks over 200 minutes, but only a filmmaker like Scorsese wouldn't have cared less about it not compromising to tell this story.

And even at its base, it's a fascinatingly engaging saga about how the aforementioned greedy bigots and their planning lead to the killing of over a dozen Osage people while still fooling the same people to be on their side. Mostly centred around Lily Gladstone's Mollie, an Osage woman herself, she becomes the scapegoat of sorts for William 'King' Hale (DeNiro) and others as one family member after another gets killed. A deviously intriguing plot that is worked through Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio), who is manipulated more times than you can keep count. Taking the time and allowing characters to breathe, Scorsese crafts this gruesome and riveting tale that never gets boring in spite of the immensely long runtime.

The Performances - Masters at Work

A league of legends working together to weave a deeply complex saga is just the kind of collaboration you hope for. Scorsese, with frequent collaborators DiCaprio and De Niro, creates magic through these vicious characters. The absolute comfort and chemistry that De Niro and DiCaprio have on the screen and Scorsese has with them off the screen is ideally enough reason for you to be invested. But they don't take this for granted and instead deliver performances to remember. 

At 80, De Niro has nothing to prove but still proves his masterful grasp at the art of acting, DiCaprio proves how he has already entered the league of legends, and Scorsese, who is arguably the most celebrated filmmaker ever, gives you another reason to celebrate him. 

But enough about them, and we would be remiss not to mention Lily Gladstone, who is pretty much the sole female character in a way. Not only does she hold her ground, but she even outshines these legends in a few scenes. Her vulnerability, sadness but immense affection for Ernest, her outburst when any family member dies, and just her calming screen presence is enough for you to focus on her mother more than anyone.

The Developments & a Minor Hiccup

What's most interesting about KOTFM is just how seamlessly it moves into the fourth gear in the last hour when government officials arrive. From having murders with no investigation to suddenly federal people taking over and demanding answers becomes such a fast-paced development that is also dealt with the same treatment. And then, of course, Scorsese stays true to his style and gives possibly one of the best director appearances ever - everything is almost perfect.

Yes, almost. One minor hiccup for me was the naivete that Mollie had when it came to her family members being killed one after the other and never suspecting her own husband and other authorities. Not unrealistic or unjustified but just a tad too far-fetched. But then, it's granted that her health taking a toll on the film plays a huge factor in the same.

The Verdict

Martin Scorsese is reminding everyone why he is a freaking legend, and his idea of having clarity in filmmaking cannot be more pronounced and obvious than this film. KOTFM is the kind of deep story that might demand your attention and incredible patience but gives you a sweet fruit in terms of the experience.

Rating - **** (4/5)