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Killers of the Flower Moon
Martin Scorsese's 2023 epic Killers of the Flower Moon initially confuses as it attempts looking at a proud Indian culture encountering racism, but eventually what we get is just another Scorsese movie, borrowing storytelling tools from himself.
The setting is 1920's Oklahoma and as it opens a proud Indian tribe called the Osage discover oil on their land, and begin to enjoy genuine wealth for the first time in their lives. A former soldier named Ernest Burkhart (Oscar winner Leonardo Di Caprio) arrives in town to reunite with his Uncle William (Oscar winner Robert De Niro). William immediately starts encouraging his nephew to initiate a relationship with an elegant Osage princess named Molly (Lily Gladstone). It's not long before hundreds of the Osage begin getting murdered so that they're wealth can be taken from them and it's not long before the true villain of the piece is revealed and his plan to set up or silence anyone in his way.
The screenplay initially displays some semblance of originality due to the canvas upon which the story is set, convincing the viewer they are about to be let in on something really different, but around the halfway point of the film, the confusing plotting starts to come together and it's pretty easy to follow what's going on from there, because the plot borrows elements of Goodfellas and The Departed and put them in a period setting.
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I have to admit that the relationship between Ernest and Molly really sucked me in and had me routing for them as a couple, but as their relationship progressed, William was manipulating it from behind the scenes and in the blink of an eye, Molly's mother and sister both end up dead and when Ernest is seen participating in a plan to silence his wife, I had checked out on Ernest and William. This whole story makes Ernest look dumb as a box of rocks and Di Caprio is way too intelligent for a character like this. Loved the epilogue even if it took a little too long.
The film has been nominated for ten Academy Awards including Lead Actress for Gladstone, Supporting Actor for De Niro, and Best Director for Scorsese, though I don't see it winning any of these awards. Production values are first rate though and awards in technical categories are definite possibilities. Di Caprio works very hard at bringing some meat to this dumb character, Gladstone brings dignity and intelligence to Molly, and De Niro brings his accustomed slime to Uncle William. Jesse Plemmons, Cara Jade Myers, Oscar winner Brendan Fraser, and John Lithgow also make the most of their screentime, but when it comes down to it, this is just another Scorsese movie.
Martin Scorsese's 2023 epic Killers of the Flower Moon initially confuses as it attempts looking at a proud Indian culture encountering racism, but eventually what we get is just another Scorsese movie, borrowing storytelling tools from himself.
The setting is 1920's Oklahoma and as it opens a proud Indian tribe called the Osage discover oil on their land, and begin to enjoy genuine wealth for the first time in their lives. A former soldier named Ernest Burkhart (Oscar winner Leonardo Di Caprio) arrives in town to reunite with his Uncle William (Oscar winner Robert De Niro). William immediately starts encouraging his nephew to initiate a relationship with an elegant Osage princess named Molly (Lily Gladstone). It's not long before hundreds of the Osage begin getting murdered so that they're wealth can be taken from them and it's not long before the true villain of the piece is revealed and his plan to set up or silence anyone in his way.
The screenplay initially displays some semblance of originality due to the canvas upon which the story is set, convincing the viewer they are about to be let in on something really different, but around the halfway point of the film, the confusing plotting starts to come together and it's pretty easy to follow what's going on from there, because the plot borrows elements of Goodfellas and The Departed and put them in a period setting.
I have to admit that the relationship between Ernest and Molly really sucked me in and had me routing for them as a couple, but as their relationship progressed, William was manipulating it from behind the scenes and in the blink of an eye, Molly's mother and sister both end up dead and when Ernest is seen participating in a plan to silence his wife, I had checked out on Ernest and William. This whole story makes Ernest look dumb as a box of rocks and Di Caprio is way too intelligent for a character like this. Loved the epilogue even if it took a little too long.
The film has been nominated for ten Academy Awards including Lead Actress for Gladstone, Supporting Actor for De Niro, and Best Director for Scorsese, though I don't see it winning any of these awards. Production values are first rate though and awards in technical categories are definite possibilities. Di Caprio works very hard at bringing some meat to this dumb character, Gladstone brings dignity and intelligence to Molly, and De Niro brings his accustomed slime to Uncle William. Jesse Plemmons, Cara Jade Myers, Oscar winner Brendan Fraser, and John Lithgow also make the most of their screentime, but when it comes down to it, this is just another Scorsese movie.