Martin Scorsese’s latest film ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ dissects Osage Indian murders – The Statesman

4 years later”Irish” Director Martin Scorsese is back with another three-and-a-half hour true crime epic. His new work is based on the historical novel of the same name.Murderers of the Flower Moon” tells the story of the Osage Indian murders. A series of deaths occurred on the Osage Nation from the 1910s to the 1930s after oil was discovered on the reservation. According to the film, the Osage tribe became some of the wealthiest people in the world per capita, and their white male neighbors wanted a share of their wealth.

The film has received widespread critical acclaim since its release, but its running time has been long. The film’s approach to these horrific acts of violence lacks the appropriate nuance and depth needed to handle this historical tragedy.

Despite these shortcomings, there is much to admire about this film. The film’s greatest strength is Lily Gladstone’s superb portrayal of Molly Burkhardt. Molly, a member of the Osage Nation, was unknowingly married to one of the murderers who murdered much of her family. Gladstone is subversive in her role, mesmerizing and impossible to watch at the same time. The emotions she conveys are excruciating, yet so captivating that you can’t take your eyes off her.

Other notable performances include Robert De Niro as William Hale and Jesse Plemons as FBI agent Tom White. This marks Scorsese and De Niro’s 10th collaboration in more than 50 years, demonstrating Scorsese’s continued ability to coax incredible performances out of De Niro. William is the main antagonist of the film and acts as the mastermind behind the murders. However, he is also a prominent member of the community, using his wealth and status to contribute while concealing his own actions. De Niro gives an unsettling performance, constantly shifting between threatening, conspiratorial, manipulative, and affable.

Despite some weak acting in this film, Plemons continues to give great performances throughout his decades-long career. “Killers of the Flower Moon” is no exception. Plemmons’ FBI agent Tom doesn’t appear until the third act of the film, but his influence is immediate. He knows how to control a room without others noticing. His performance is delicate yet powerful, further accelerated by the faster pace of the third act.

The film has a similar structure to Scorsese’s other crime films.goodfellas” and “wolf of wall street” Act 1 introduces the characters and their world, Act 2 shows the rise of the criminals to the top, and Act 3 depicts their inevitable fall. The rapid development of the third act shows the anxiety felt by the criminals as the world falls apart and they face some form of justice for their actions.

One of the film’s biggest mistakes is, surprisingly, Ernest Burkhardt, played by Leonardo DiCaprio. He is a simple man who is manipulated by his uncle William to take part in the murders. DiCaprio’s performance has its strengths, especially as the relationship between Ernest and Molly develops. But throughout the long movie, this character becomes irritating.

DiCaprio does the best he can with what he’s given. Unfortunately, Ernest treads a strange line that makes it unclear whether the viewer is meant to feel sympathy for him. DiCaprio almost always looks confused as he willingly participates in the murders while being manipulated by his uncle. He is almost illiterate and cannot read children’s books, but is smart enough to tamper with his wife’s medicine. Attempts to humanize Ernest come across as tone-deaf, and he is often portrayed as a malicious murderer..

However, the film’s biggest flaw is its treatment of the Osage victims. Molly is the only Osage character with any depth. Her portrayal is primarily determined by her relationship with Ernest and her anguish due to the murder. She seems to have a strong relationship with her family, but that doesn’t really come through as her family’s characters are underdeveloped and function more as caricatures than nuanced individuals.

This lack of development is evident in the film’s long running time. It’s a shame that Osage’s characters weren’t fleshed out more throughout the series. We hardly even know the names of many of the victims. Their identities, personalities, passions and relationships remain shrouded in mystery. These characters are completely defined by the circumstances surrounding the murder. This tragedy, told through the lens of the white men who murdered Native Americans, is an ironic testament to the never-ending cycle in American history.

This film lacks the same attention to victims that Scorsese has given in his previous films. But in Goodfellas and The Wolf of Wall Street, the victims are still the people who did the bad things. In “Goodfellas”, Henry Hill is involved in the murder of other gang members, and in “The Wolf of Wall Street”, Jordan Belfort is involved in the murder of other gang members who are already profiting from defrauding people. They are deceiving the city brokers. But in “Killers of the Flower Moon” the victims are innocent. Their only “crime” is having money and property that William wants. It is therefore unfortunate that they are not given even the basic respect of being nominated.

As more filmmakers tell the stories of historically underrepresented figures in Hollywood, concerns about diverse perspectives in storytelling are growing. Gladstone highlights The challenges faced by underrepresented groups, as securing funding for these projects often requires working with established filmmakers. The film’s ability to document this history is commendable, as it identifies the targets of blame and communicates them to the viewer. However, it is not without criticism.

mohawk actress DeBerry Jacobs emphasized That Indigenous peoples have an identity that transcends historical grief, trauma, and brutality. What is concerning is that the way Indigenous people are portrayed in film traps them in the role of eternal victims defined only by their murder. There’s a brief scene towards the end of the tribe dancing in a modern context, but it does little to assuage the relentless victimization throughout the rest of the film.

Despite featuring Scorsese’s strong direction and many captivating performances, “Killers of the Flower Moon” is marred by its lengthy running time. The film raises awareness about Osage history and explores an often overlooked aspect of American history, but ultimately its depiction of the victims lacks depth and respect. To gain a deeper understanding of the murders, you may want to spend some time researching Osage history.