Killers of the Flower Moon is the latest film from Martin Scorsese that tells the story of the FBI investigating the murder of members of the Osage Native American tribe of Osage County, Oklahoma. When oil is found on their land, in the 1920s, the FBI comes to look into the wrong doing. And the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Ernest Burkhart, a man who if you look at his actual history is something that is hard to look at. His wife, Mollie (Lily Gladstone), is from the Osage Native American tribe and her family is a key part of the story as a whole.
Starring Scorsese’s often collaborator Robert De Niro, the movie includes Jesse Plemons, Louis Cancelmi, and Brendan Fraser. It isn’t going to be an easy one to unpack, especially given the subject matter and it is a great departure from the rest of Scorsese’s work. While he has told stories that are based on true events, this is the biggest departure from the crime dramas that he typically operates in. Known for his mobster movies, Killers of the Flower Moon is drastically different from the rest of his filmography in tone alone and while the first audiences have now seen the movie, the rest of us are waiting to hear what they have to say.
Debuting at the Cannes Film Festival, the film is a few minutes shorter than Scorsese’s last film, The Irishman, and is another one for streaming as it is set to debut with Apple TV. But if there is one thing about Scorsese movies we can come to know and trust, it is that even if the film is long and daunting, it is well worth the watch because there is always something to keep us on our toes. And now, the first reactions for Killers of the Flower Moon are here!
Collider’s own Therese Lacson is on the ground at Cannes, and said that the film earns its lengthy runtime, praising the powerhouse performances of the cast. However, she also questioned whether Scorsese was the right person to tell such a fraught story.
Film critic Ema Sasic singled out the performances that brought the “harrowing” story to life, a sentiment shared by Next Best Picture’s Matt Neglia, who also called the film “A tragic rumination on greed & power.’
Oscar Gold for Lily Gladstone?
Gladstone has also been singled out by critics for her breakout, star-making turn in the film, with Discussing Film’s Yasmine Kandil calling her the soul of the entire film. Variety’s Manori Ravindran seemed to feel the same, calling Gladstone a “breakout star” of Cannes.
Much has been made about the films 206 minute runtime. It’s a lot in theory, but what did critics think about the film’s length in practice? For MUBI’s Leonardo Goi and Discussing Film’s Ben Rolph, the nearly 3.5 hour runtime wasn’t felt at all, with both saying that the film flew by.
Meanwhile critic Peter Debruge saying that while the film is a “compelling true story,” having the movie be as long as it was was not the right decision. IndieWire’s went on to add that while the film lacks the “mythic sweep” of the book, it succeeds in other areas, and is also DiCaprio’s best performance.
Killers of the Flower Moon premieres October 6.