Review: 'Killers of the Flower Moon' a return to form for Martin Scorsese

Director Martin Scorsese has not endeared himself to a younger generation of movie fans with his verbal takedowns of the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the years.

In a well-read New York Times op-ed, he explained himself, writing that Marvel films aren’t cinema because there’s nothing at risk artistically in them, likening them to theme park rides. It’s a completely subjective observation he’s entitled to as one of film’s masters.

His work, including his newest “Killers of the Flower Moon,” reflects that sensibility, offering a refuge from the bombast of blockbusters. After the very tepidly received “The Irishman,” “Flower Moon” marks a return of vintage Scorsese taking a risk and, for the most part, telling a story from a familiar but different perspective.

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Best known for crime-tinged classics such as “Goodfellas,” “Casino” and “The Departed,” Scorsese explores those criminal elements in “Flower Moon” all while making more than a few observations about class, racism and capitalism set against a “true crime” story from the 1920s into the 1930s.

Based on the book “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI,” it’s a throwback to meticulous, captivating storytelling guided by a deft hand behind the camera.

As much as it is a story about individuals, it is also a story with a broader exploration of exploitation. In this case, it’s the manipulation of members of the Osage tribe.

After being exiled to a reservation in northeastern Oklahoma in the 1870s, the tribe’s fortunes change when oil is eventually discovered in that area, enriching its members. Fast-forward to the 1920s, and the Osage Nation is booming. There are people to be taken advantage of and money to made.

Despite the tribe owning the wealth in the area, political power is held by William Hale (a well-coiffed but greasy Robert De Niro), who’s got something shady going on. We get a whiff of it when his nephew Ernest (Leonardo DiCaprio) arrives in town, and Hale, who is known as “King” to the locals, strongly suggests he finds a way to marry an Osage woman.

Members of the tribe all have “head rights,” or shares in the oil profits that come from the land, and Hale would like nothing more than to consolidate that wealth in his family’s name.

Ernest woos Mollie (Lily Gladstone), one of several Osage sisters, and eventually marries her.

The Osage Nation had been known for a series of mysterious deaths of tribe members, but deaths become more frequent seemingly after Hale brings his nephew to town.

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Scorsese, who co-wrote the script with Eric Roth, takes us through the details of a years-long criminal conspiracy that contributed to the founding of the FBI. The story is not pretty and is an indictment of a culture dominated by greed, racism and opportunism. Sounds familiar.

Scorsese directs these elements with a very subtle hand. Pay attention to the dialogue that may seem like one-offs, when in actuality, it teems with bigotry. That understated approach serves the film well, allowing it to just exist while drawing the audience in. Even with a three-hour, 26-minute runtime, it proves to be a compelling experience.

That is all complemented by standout performances from De Niro (shocker there, huh?), DiCaprio (another shocker) and Gladstone.

“Killers of the Flower Moon” is the film many analysts have pointed to as the start of awards season. Whether it finds an audience remains to be seen, but the game is definitely afoot.

George M. Thomas dabbles in movies and television for the Beacon Journal.

Review

Movie: “Killers of the Flower Moon”

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert DeNiro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Running time: 3 hours, 26 minutes

Rated: R for violence, some grisly images, and language

Grade: A-

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Review: 'Killers of the Flower Moon' returns Martin Scorsese to form