Killers of the Flower Moon Review: A trio of powerhouse performances overcome odd POV choices

Martin Scorsese‘s latest epic, Killers of the Flower Moon, is a dark film featuring terrific performances by Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert DeNiro. Unfortunately, even at 3 hours and 26 minutes, Killers of the Flower Moon feels like a slight, outside observer’s take on this critical, dark period in American history.

Set just after World War I, Killers of the Flower Moon follow a slew of murders involving Osage people in Osage County, Oklahoma. The discovery of oil makes Osage County one of the richest in the country. Oil leads to more money for the Osage people but brings in vultures. These outsiders don’t just want a piece of the fortune; they want access to all of it.

Ernest Burkhardt (DiCaprio) is a newcomer to Osage. He’s just out of World War I and looking for a fresh start. His uncle William “King” Hale (DeNiro) is happy to offer him a job. Burkhardt is a simple, very gullible man who follows his uncle’s instructions to the best of his ability. Burkhardt’s job as a cabbie allows him to meet his future wife, Mollie (Gladstone). DiCaprio’s boyish charm works well opposite Gladstone and there are hints of a compelling romance. However, like the majority of Killers of the Flower Moon, the script by Eli Roth and Scorsese doesn’t delve deep enough into this relationship or the Osage people.

Gladstone should be the lead protagonist of the film. The film begins by giving Mollie a voiceover to match Ernest’s voiceover, which seemingly establishes two perspectives. However, Mollie’s voice slowly diminishes throughout the film. She starts strong by figuring out why her family is dying around her. Then, due to illness, she fades into the background and lets DiCaprio run the show.

Osage men and women are either murdered or die slow, painful deaths due to diabetes. Choosing to center the story around Ernest instead of Mollie adds to the lack of nuance in handling this important story in American history.

There is a murder mystery plot, but Scorcese and Roth clarify who is doing the killing, so there’s not much suspense. Ernest is such a weak man there’s no conflict between him and his uncle. DeNiro delivers a villain performance for the ages and should receive a nomination for Best Supporting. DiCaprio shines brightest when playing a rat under a microscope. The arrival of the FBI led by Agent Tom White (Jesse Plemons, terrific) gives the film a massive boost.

There are plenty of solid performances throughout Killers of the Flower Moon. Brendan Fraser‘s performance isn’t one of them.

Despite some missteps in telling this story, strong performances, beautiful cinematography, and terrific editing make Killers of the Flower Moon a worthwhile film.

Killers of the Flower Moon Review Score: 7

Good

With the overview out of the way, let’s dive deeper into the elements that stood out in Scorsese’s latest film. Killers of The Flower Moon will stream on Apple TV Plus after its theatrical run ends.

The mystery behind the Killers of the Flower Moon

When the discovery of oil in Osage County became more well-known, other citizens began heading to Oklahoma. In exchange for access to oil, Osage people became some of the wealthiest people in the country. Unfortunately, the outsiders didn’t just want access; they enjoyed every cent they could get their hands on.

In Killers of the Flower Moon, a nefarious plot is orchestrated against the Osage. A reverse black widow-type scheme where white men marry Osage women for access to their wealth. If the woman dies, the money goes to her family, including her husband. The plot thickens when family members start dying, leading to a more significant percentage of wealth going to the husbands.

A series of murders begin to take place. Mollie wants to find out who is killing her family, but the few investigators she’s reached out to don’t pan out until she makes a trip to Washington, DC. She begs President Coolidge for help and the FBI eventually arrives. The murders are pretty graphic and Gladstone’s reaction as Mollie after each family member dies is heartbreaking.

Tom White and the other FBI agents quickly solve the murder mystery, which is a positive. Scorcese shows who is committing every bumbling murder. He focuses more on showing how white men exploited Osage’s generosity.

An Uncle’s Welcome

William King Hale is Ernest’s uncle. He’s well respected by Osage and seen as a benefactor. He sends all the right messages. Hale speaks the language, shows sympathy during the funerals, and even offers reward money to find the murderers. He’s a puppetmaster who manipulates Ernest and others to execute his plan.

His reverse black widow plan begins before Ernest arrives. However, his schedule gets a boost at the prospect of Ernest seducing Mollie. By killing off members of Mollie’s family, Ernest and, subsequently, Hale’s share of the Headrights will increase.

DeNiro is perfect when he steps off the porch to embrace Ernest. He casts a large shadow over his gullible nephew and knows precisely when a firm hand is needed over a suggestion or hint.

Ernest Burkhardt: The gullible nephew

Ernest doesn’t seem to be an evil man at the start of Killers of the Flower Moon. He’s a bit slow and easily susceptible, but the boyish charm and confidence eventually make an impression on Mollie.

Due to Ernest’s injuries from World War I, he can’t drill for oil. Uncle Hale sets Ernest up for a job as a cab driver. One of Ernest’s clients is Mollie. When Hale hears about it from Ernest, he urges his nephew to strike a romantic connection.

Ernest goes along with the idea. Mollie recognizes Ernest isn’t the most savvy man, but he’s cute, and she feels secure knowing Hale is his uncle. DiCaprio and Gladstone have strong chemistry. They do their best to breathe life into a romance. Unfortunately, even in a 3-hour-plus film, the romance is undercooked. You never get a sense as to why these two people love each other.

The undercooked nature of the romance does a massive disservice to the film. Killers of the Flower Moon spends considerable time portraying Mollie as having complete faith in Ernest. However, her faith in him is never justified and makes her character seem less intelligent than she was at the beginning of the movie when she seems to size up Ernest correctly. What changed to win Mollie over?

Bottom line: You never see them fall in love. There has to be more than a charming conversation in a kitchen and a makeout session to make a courtship feel earned.

Killers of the Flower Moon final thoughts

The performances, production design and editing are phenomenal. These elements elevate Killers of the Flower Moon to a good film.

Even at 3-plus hours, the story feels like it’s only scratching the surface. There’s no mystery to murders, so you’re watching Osage men, women and children die for most of the runtime until the FBI shows up near the film’s end. Killers of the Flower Moon also blazes through the romance, making it challenging to buy Mollie’s trust in her husband.

Perhaps if the FBI agents had been introduced earlier, there would have been more of a sense of urgency. Killers of the Flower Moon is essential viewing but falls short of greatness.