Review: Killers of the Flower Moon Finds The Wolves In The Picture

Martin Scorsese is one of my all-time favorite filmmakers. “The King of Comedy,” “After Hours,” “Casino” – hey, even his George Harrison documentary – I’ve watched and enjoyed time and time again.

I was able to see his latest picture, “Killers of The Flower Moon”, in an advanced screening courtesy of the wonderful people at Circle Cinema.

The film, adapted from David Grann’s book, is an epic western crime saga, where real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal. It sheds light on the cultural biases and prevailing white supremacy that enabled heinous acts, while also underscoring the deliberate omission of this dark period in American history.

Lily Gladstone shines as Mollie Burkhart, effortlessly stealing the show as our co-lead. Gladstone’s performance was, without a doubt, my favorite aspect of the film, and she delivered a tour de force that outshone even Scorsese royalty De Niro and DiCaprio.

Much of the runtime is dedicated to DiCaprio and De Niro’s perspective, and as I discussed on Only Oklahoma this past Sunday, it feels like the real story was happening just beyond our view. To truly do justice to the events, the film needed to devote more time to the experiences of the Osage people and less to Leonardo DiCaprio pretending to be Oklahoman.

However, the film also boasts a stellar supporting cast, skillfully painting a vivid portrait of the era.

Grounded in its true story, “Killers of the Flower Moon” benefits from the authenticity of its source material, allowing Scorsese to craft a screenplay that blurs the lines between fact and fiction. That three hour runtime you’ve been reading about truly feels like nothing. The film’s ability to be both deeply disturbing and emotionally powerful is a testament to Scorsese’s storytelling prowess. It may not be my favorite of his, but it certainly stands out for its willingness to take risks.

“Killers of the Flower Moon” is a delicate yet brutally harsh exploration. It’s a captivating film that will linger in the mind and will leave a lasting impact.