FILM REVIEW: Killers Of The Flower Moon - Vue Printworks, Manchester.

Martin Scorsese’s retelling of the Osage murders of the late 1910's and 192'0s is sure to return people to the (very comfortable) cinema seats. This star-studded historical epic runs the risk of becoming too bloated, however Scorsese reins it in at the right parts, just when it is needed. Scorsese’s comments on the state of Hollywood and the art of cinema really resonate in his newest picture, and the availability of 'Killers Of The Flower Moon' in cinemas is a testament to the director’s realisation and acceptance of the threat to cinemas and how audiences can view films, especially after the difficulty of finding a cinema showing his last film, 'The Irishman', in late 2019.  However, like 'The Irishman', 'Killers Of The Flower Moon' is made in cahoots with Apple, much like how his previous film had been made with Netflix. It is a welcome move though, and the full auditorium showed that films can still draw people out of the comforts of home.

Featuring Leonardo DiCaprio as Ernest Burkhart, Robert De Niro as his uncle, William “King” Hale, and Lily Gladstone as Ernest’s wife, Mollie, additionally supported by an outstanding cast with the likes of Jesse Plemons, Brendan Fraser, and John Lithgow as well as many, many others. 'Killers Of The Flower Moon' tells the story of Great War veteran Ernest who goes out to Oklahoma to work for his uncle, who is a prominent member of the community within the Osage Nation. Falling for Osage oil heiress, Mollie, Ernest marries her and finds himself caught between the grisly race fuelled realties of a town where Native Americans and white Americans live together, and the rich culture and traditions of the Osage people.  

Overall the film is excellent, Scorsese is one of the few who can make a picture which warrants a running time of nearly three and a half hours. Rodrigo Prieto, the cinematographer from the last two Scorsese films returns and this one has to be his best looking film for the director. A wonderful mixture of earthy colours, and warm oranges give an almost sepia effect to the picture. Interwoven by Thelma Schoonmaker's stylised editing with real and recreated silent footage which aids to inform the viewer of the unfolding events whilst pushing the story along and again reminds us of the simpler times in which the events take place. The natural vibrancy of the green grass and primary colours of the Osage’s traditional dress jump from the screen and is a visual treat from the dark tone of the story and matching colour palette. Real attention to detail has been given with the settings and props; it is often the case with some films which take place in the past look tired because props are used which are as old as the when the film takes place. It takes you out of it and you become aware that you are only watching a reproduction, whereas with 'Killers Of The Flower Moon' everything feels fresh and appropriate. You are in this small, rural 1920's town, not in some "backlot" watching people clumsily act with props which they have to be delicate with because they could break at any moment. The film is perfectly verisimilitude due to this and the audience has no trouble settling down and becoming comfortable with the surroundings. Additionally there is some outstanding Foley work and combined with some of the effects, again helps build this world which encompasses you and really brings a deep-down-in-the-gut visceral feeling. This film is a real treat for the senses.

Unfortunately though, the film's main star is its weakest aspect. Everyone shines around DiCaprio, who stumbles through the film, gurning and grumbling. The actor is such an anomaly and point of ridicule and humour, that any attempt to be serious is null and void. Like all Hollywood Ernests, his Ernest is an absolute idiot, and unfortunately for DiCaprio his portrayal of this character is laughable in parts. What is perhaps an attempt by the film to redeem the character or give him some sort of backbone is lost because of how stupid and easily influenced Ernest is. For the final third of the film, DiCaprio has a face which can only be likened to a drunk Stanley Holloway (a stretch of a reference, but DiCaprio’s face was very reminiscent of a scene in David Lean’s 'This Happy Breed', where Stanley Holloway returns from a Legion dinner drunk). And like Lean, one must question if Scorsese is in the period of his career where his films are on epic proportions? Not that this reviewer is complaining, just pondering.

DiCaprio aside, the cast is incredible. Gladstone’s Mollie character is charming and she is brilliant at making the audience feel her grief and paranoia at the murders and circumstances which surround her and her family. Her chemistry with the other cast is particularly noteworthy. Whereas the audience may be, somewhat archaically, expecting a female lead similar to Natalie Wood in John Ford’s 'The Searchers' or some other Western. Gladstone’s character is not a traditional damsel in distress, Mollie is a headstrong yet ultimately vulnerable and powerless woman who becomes something like an unwitting victim of domestic abuse. And just when the audience is in the midst of her despair the introduction of Plemons’ man from the Bureau of Investigation brings an air of hope to the audience. Finally, something is going to be done! Alas, a film which deals with the attacks and injustices faced by Native Americans in the 1920s is not going to end on a positive note. After all we do not go to see a Scorsese picture because we are promised a happy ending, very rarely do they actually occur, but a story likes this tells anyone with a bit of historical knowledge that this three and a bit hour journey is only leading to the inevitable. Therein leads to the second issue with the film, the final act and ending.

While the film is an epic, in production and length, and by all means very good, the film loses its footing as soon as Ernest goes to court. What has been methodically ramping up over the last two and a bit hours stumbles and loses its pacing as ideally another two hours is needed to wrap things up neatly. Unfortunately that is not really an option, and what we end up with is the cinematic equivalent of hurriedly ending a story one would write in an English lesson. No “and then they woke up and it was all a dream” but rather a violent jolt to a few decades later which feels tacked-on because Scorsese looked up and saw that the school bell was about to ring. The audience become integrated into the film as the audience for a radio murder-mystery theatre show are informed that the bad guys were okay and the victims were forgot. One runs the risk of being a bit too nit-picky but this grievance only detracts very little from the overall quality and splendour of the film.

There is a warning to be heeded, whilst all the trademark tropes of the director are there, it is a clear Scorsese picture, do not go expecting the usual Scorsese gangster flick, at no point does Joe Pesci turn up and start effing and jeffing at the Osage, which seemed to be the case with the two men sat next to me. They also seemed unaware of the running time as they loudly questioned how long was left. Although films are seeming to slowly get people back to the cinema, cinema etiquette seems to be extinct. Nevertheless it is looking to be a rather good six or so months for cinema, this and Ridley Scott’s 'Napoleon' in a few months, followed by Francis Ford Coppola’s 'Megalopolis' tells the world that these old “new Hollywood” fellas still have the ability to make good films that will hopefully fill seats. If 'Killers Of The Flower Moon' is anything to go by, the cinema has nothing to worry about.

Reviewer - Daryl Griffin