Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
“Can you find the wolves in this picture?”
Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) reads that question aloud from his book on Osage culture his Uncle William “King” Hale (Robert De Niro) asked him to study up on. Ernest is not the brightest and has come to the Osage Nation in Oklahoma after WWI to ask King’s help in finding work. Oil has made the Osage people some of the richest in the world practically overnight, and a number of White Americans have descended to try and get their hands on some of that money by any means necessary. King suggests Ernest get closer to Mollie (Lilly Gladstone), a local Osage woman with a large family and an even larger fortune. As their relationship grows, so too do King’s deadly instructions.
“Can you find the wolves in this picture?”
That phrase is delivered in an otherwise unremarkable montage, but it literally encompasses everything that transpires over the course of KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, legendary Co-Writer/Director Martin Scorsese’s gargantuan 206-minute magnum opus. It is his loaded thesis statement; one that hangs over the proceedings like a hawk getting ready to pounce on its prey. Scorsese has never been one for subtlety (nor brevity), so it is clear from the outset what kind of film this is – a damning portrait of racism and perversion inflicted on the Indigenous Osage peoples by greedy White imperialists and interlopers. The fact that the Film is based on a true story and real people make the proceedings that much more unsettling.
The 206-minute running time may sound daunting on paper yet Scorsese has such a handle on the material and his core messaging that you will barely notice. His legendary go-to Editor Thelma Schoonmaker has helped him craft a film that moves with absolute precision, drawing you in close and rarely letting go. Yes, it focuses more on the White side of the story, though the way Scorsese incorporates and emphasizes elements of Osage culture as well as giving agency to so many of the Osage characters (played by Indigenous talent) is terrific and commendable, flying in the face of social media commentary claiming otherwise. He specifically sought out consultation from members of the Osage community and it shows in how he represents those characters.
Schoonmaker is not the only previous Scorsese collaborator delivering superlative work here. The way Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto captures so much of the Film is a masterclass in itself, with multiple shots and sequences destined to be all-timers. The stirring, haunting score by the late Robbie Robertson is nothing short of incredible, bringing alive the visual elements around it. You can audibly hear the sorrow and regret in every note. Also deserving of praise are Production Designer Jack Fisk and Set Decorator Adam Willis who make every building and setting feel real and tangible. You can practically taste and smell everything you see, from the fresh wood used for the houses to the dirt and grime of the incomplete roads. With the prevalence of CGI in so many blockbusters, it is worth celebrating when so many practical effects are used instead.
Being a Scorsese movie, KILLERS does not shy away from the violence inflicted on the Osage peoples and their allies. Scenes get incredibly bloody and are often quite challenging to watch. Unlike other Scorsese films however, the violence feels more restrained and more purposeful when it occurs. It is nowhere near as brutal as many of his other pictures (minus one scene that finds trouble balancing the aftermath of despicable violence with the bleakest of humour), yet the lasting impact of many of the death scenes are often more disturbing than anything Scorsese has ever previously committed to celluloid. You feel the weight and the agony of each death; harkening back to his thesis statement and the reflections he is clearly hoping are brought to fruition. It is very heavy material and ideas that just hit differently with the way Scorsese has framed the story, allowing them to become all the more horrifying as a result.
KILLERS marks the tenth feature collaboration between Scorsese and De Niro, the sixth feature collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio and the very first time all three of these legendary Oscar-winners are working together on the same feature. They are clearly two of Scorsese’s most beloved muses, and he brings out some of the best work either of these two titanic performers have ever delivered.
DiCaprio gives a tremendous performance as Ernest, frequently missing the point of what he is being told and just as frequently not letting on about the inner feelings and turmoil he is going through. He loves Mollie and the family they have built together – but he is still capable of going through with unforgiveable plans. It is nuanced work from DiCaprio, avoiding his more expressive tendencies for something a bit quieter and more enigmatic. I enjoyed the romantic elements DiCaprio brings to the role as well but feel he could have used a bit more motivation for how his character acts and reacts in the third act. It does not necessarily ring false so much as it feels like an additional scene or two would have helped immensely.
De Niro fires on all cylinders as King, the fun and supportive individual who is hiding a more insidious nature just under the surface. The way his expressions change so slightly depending on who he is talking to is a thing of beauty, as is the convincing tone he gives King whenever he is asking for something terrible to be done (or on the flipside, reacting to something terrible happening). King is all-knowing, pulling the strings and controlling just about everyone in his proximity. It is the kind of performance De Niro could have done in his sleep for decades yet can barely muster any enthusiasm to give now. It will make you instantly forget much of the dreck you have sat through of late because he was starring in it.
Supporting turns from just about everyone are spectacular, no matter their length of time on-screen. Actors you will recognize like Canada’s Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser and Jesse Plemons (playing one of J. Edgar Hoover’s first G-Men) are amazing, as are lesser-known Actors like Cara Jade Myers, William Belleau, Louis Cancelmi and Scott Shepherd. I would even go so far as to say the likes of Myers and Belleau are running circles around the rest of the Supporting Cast, delivering powerful and profound performances that will stick with you long after the credits end.
They all pale in comparison however to Gladstone’s towering, mesmerizing turn as Mollie. She is a revelation here, casting a big shadow over the Supporting Cast and more than holding her own against the cinematic heavyweights. Gladstone is luminous from the very moment she first enters the frame, bringing warmth to everyone around her. Scorsese asks a lot of her in every scene, gradually building up the physicality of the role as well as embodying the grief and anger the Osage peoples are feeling over the course of the Film. She balances the emotions Mollie has masterfully and has a spectacular sense of being able to say everything and nothing at the same time. I was not familiar with Gladstone’s prior work, but after KILLERS, you can bet I will not soon forget her name.
And just because I have not managed to fit it in anywhere else, I also need to give special mention to the Film’s ending which eschews the typical written acknowledgements of what happens next in favour of something more filmic. It threw me for a loop when it started but after realizing what motif Scorsese was going for, I have not been able to stop thinking about it. It is a simple touch – one that includes a cameo from someone you will instantly recognize – yet feels like anything but.
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON is a magnificent film through and through, easily earning its place amongst Maestro Martin Scorsese’s upper echelon of pictures. The man is about to turn 81 and is still churning out unforgettable films that will stand the test of time.
Alongside his behind-the-scenes team, Scorsese has taken a relatively unknown story and turned it into a must-see film containing some of the best acting you will see this year, or any other year for that matter. The 206-minute running time may give you pause, as will the way some key moments in the Film are presented (namely the inhumane, racist violence inflicted on members of the Osage community). The uneasiness you are feeling reading that is by design; you are supposed to be uncomfortable and unsettled by the horrifying things you see. It is a deliberate and provocative move, but one Scorsese has never denied making. He is a master Craftsman at the top of his game and skipping out on one of his best films is a mistake you cannot afford to make.
Apple Original Films and Paramount Pictures Canada release KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON in theatres Friday, October 20, 2023.
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