Movie Review : Killers Of The Flower Moon
Killers Of The Flower Moon
This is not just the best film of the year but one of the best films ever made! Now my favourite filmmaker is Martin Scorsese the way he presents stories onscreen is unlike any other filmmaker. Now I can confidently say this with my whole heart what he has given us with Killers Of The Flower Moon is his best film of his entire career and I know that may be a bold statement but it’s true. A lot of people say his best is goodfellas, the departed, wolf of Wall Street but if we’re talking artistry, direction, acting and story all together yeah it’s this film that is the best work he’s ever put to screen. This film is unlike anything Scorsese has ever done sure he’s visited true crime stories but the way he went about executing this horrific tragedy stays with you long after the film is over and had me truly rattled.
Firstly, I have so much I want to discuss about this film we’ll start first with the incredible tone that was set for this film. Now as I’ve mentioned above it’s nothing like anything Scorsese has done before and he’s been making films for 50 years and capturing stories of some truly dark and sinister characters and stories but what he brings to Killers Of The Flower Moon is truly perfect direction. He takes away all the flashy editing and big bombastic style we have seen from him in films like Goodfellas, casino and even Wolf Of Wall Street their is no sense of over the top intoxicating style woven into this film. So essentially all the things he’s known for putting into his film he removed almost entirely for this story and i honestly love that because he was able to still present that Scorsese style that makes him stand out without relying on his usual directional trade marks. When I say this film is dark in tone it truly is because sure he’s shown gangster and violent films before that’s nothing new but he’s tackling the Osage tribe and is something he’s never ever covered in his 50 years as a filmmaker. So his senses of having to be respectful to the story and the people who were affected so deeply by this tragedy was a big responsibility and he handled it with such grace and he is able to explore the tragedy in ways that makes your eyes tear up and heart ache. As their is such a somber tone you feel through each frame of this film and since it is tackling a tragedy one of which many people don’t know about he presents the deaths of the characters who are killed off in very brutally honest ways that is unsettling to see but that’s the point it’s supposed to make you uncomfortable. He never tries to make the violence seem flashy when Scorsese presents someone being shot in the head or even stabbed multiple times in the chest it’s shown in such a brutal and fast way what I mean is when you see death in shown onscreen it’s very realistic and disturbing. Theirs something about how Scorsese is able to show violence in such a honest way no other filmmaker can tackle as well as him and here the tone of murder is a massive plot point to the film and he presents the death of characters onscreen accurate to the way they actually died theirs no making stuff up for the sake of being dramatic he stays very faithful to the facts of what happened. Sure we’ve seen tons of violence in films of his but the way he just makes a shot linger on for when a character is being examined with their body after being shot or even seeing their lifeless bodies laying in bed with their lips turned blue he makes the audience fully take In the scope of this tragedy and it’s done in such a somber and bleak way that we’ve never seen him capture murder like this before onscreen. He also explores the culture of the Osage amazingly well he not only shot on location of where these events occurred he cast half of the actors that were actually Native American actors and or Osage while also bringing their language into the film and having quite a lot of scenes spoken In their native Language which made for a more immersive and authentic experience of this story. As he got Leonardo DiCaprio Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone to speak the Language as well and not only did they do an amazing job but they spoke it so fluently the way it rolled off their tongues to the hand expressions everything was perfect in the way they incorporated that into the narrative. As their are moment where their is no subtitles because Scorsese is telling the audience sure we may not know what’s verbally being said but the visuals we’re seeing between the characters and the sound of emotion in their voices we can make out what’s being said without subtitles and he lets the picture speak for itself at moments which I thought was such a brilliant idea. The theme of religion again is very much on full display in this film as he explores the faith of the Osage nation while incorporating his Catholic symbolism as well all at once. As he presents the tone of faith very strongly in this film as their are moments where a character will have visions when they feel close to death to even them walking hand In hand with their loved ones into the afterlife very heavy things are touched upon on the subject of religion in this picture. Now What else is done so well that cannot be ignored is the way the story was tackled as many people have criticized it for not being told from the point of view of the Osage and to a degree I can hear their points. That being said Scorsese has always taken the approach of having us view his stories from the perspective of the shady individuals that is nothing new. Adding to that though he still does give the Osage their platform to tell their side to this story it never felt like he was glorifying or trying to sympathize the terrible people who were involved in murdering these innocent men and woman. Scorsese approached the story in such a delicate way that he didn’t want it to come across as a white saviour film that is the last thing he wants the audience to think so sure he tells the story from the viewpoint of the killers who were directly responsible in this massacre but he also at the same time shows the emotional and mental exhaustion it had on Mollie Burkhart. He actually was able to make Leonardo DiCaprio’s character the representation of Betrayal and Lily Gladstone’s character represents trust and bringing those two traits through the characters was a great way into the story. As it explores the murders yes but Also the complex relationship these two individuals had with one another which makes the outcome that heartbreaking. The sheer attention to detail was amazing as Scorsese thrusts you back into the 1920’s in such a immersive way as from the actors in the background the shops, the music all the small details really made a big difference as it makes the setting feel so lived in and incredibly authentic to the time its taking place in. Tone wise this is his darkest film he has ever done and the sheer way he tackles this very tough story was done in a brilliant and respectful way that blew me away and had my jaw firmly on the floor.
Secondly, The performances are truly outstanding from everyone involved! The three main performances are all awards worthy firstly there is Lily Gladstone I had to talk about her first as she is the heart of this film. To have any actor stand out among the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro is no easy feat. Gladstone delivers a devastating and haunting performance that will have you gripped each moment she is onscreen as she brings the character Mollie to such life through her sensitive voice and rules the scene by being able to tell what is going on through every inch of her heart just from her eyes she is mesmerizing and I cannot say enough about how much I loved what she Brings to this film. Then to me the performance that really shocked the hell out of me is Robert De Niro’s portrayal as the devil in disguise William Hale he gives his best performance since cape fear! Now he’s played a ton of tough characters and gangsters but when we look at how evil and despicable the character is he’s only played one that’s like that and it was the psychopathic Max Cady in Cape Fear. As he usually dose not play characters that are so repulsive and has no redeeming qualities as that’s who William Hale is and he plays the role in such a brilliant sinister way that makes your skin crawl. As he at first glance seems very polite and well mannered which he is on the surface but behind that smile theirs evil and dark intentions he has and wow does De Niro shine here in such a outstanding supporting turn as the Evil Mastermind that is William Hale. It’s a top 5 best performance of his entire career if I’m being honest as he brings qualities to the performance that stay with you and make you so unsettled it’s a chilling performance of such a dark human being. Then you have Leonardo DiCaprio who turns in probably his most complex performance to date with his portrayal of the emotionally torn Ernest Burkhart. He pulls off a performance we haven’t seen DiCaprio do before as he usually plays pretty boy roles or the likeable protagonist so to see him play someone so sleazy and morally corrupt was amazing to watch as it’s so against type for him. He brings a heartbreaking quality to the way he Carries himself as he’s torn between choosing his uncle who’s his family or his wife who he says he loves with his heart and the way Leonardo is able to explore the inner workings of who this man was onscreen was incredible. As we see a full range of emotions that some of which we haven’t seen him delve into as a lot of people are going to take his performance for granted and say it’s just another solid performance by him but no it’s truly something special and he puts on one hell of a performance that is spectacular. The whole cast was amazing you also had small blink or you’ll miss it performances from John Lithgow, Brendan Fraser and a great performance from Jesse Plemons and Cara Jade Myers both who I hope people also recognize as their so much great talent in this film and those two performances are solid supporting performances. Everyone from the main cast to the supporting players all gave top notch performances across the board.
Lastly, Overall Killers Of The Flower Moon is a masterpiece and truly Scorsese at his best as he’s showcasing so many things that truly are on another level of excellent storytelling. Even at the age of 80 he’s turning in epic dramas like this on such a large scale and he still after 50 years makes each one of his films feel like it’s a event that people need to sit up and take notice of. He captures the tragedy in brutal honesty along with the heartbreaking romance that went on between Ernest and Mollie. It’s packed full of incredible performances and an ending that will be studied for years to come this is a landmark accomplishment for Martin Scorsese and his greatest achievement as a filmmaker Killers Of The Flower Moon is a towering epic I recommend everyone go see this film on the biggest screen with the best sound system.
The film centres around the 1920’s Osage and the murder and tragedy that fell upon them and who was behind these horrific crimes
Rated R : Some Grisly Images|Language|Violence
Lily Gladstone : Gladstone is a tour de force with her outstanding performance in this film! Now Lily Gladstone isn’t a big name in Hollywood but I can tell you right now after people see what she delivers in this film she’ll be getting tons of offers and rightly so she’s a incredible actress and deserves all the success and accolades that come from her incredible work on this film. She takes on the role of Mollie Burkhart who had one of the most emotionally devastating lives and she brings the sheer weight of what her heart went through in such a raw and painful truth that makes the hair on my arms stand up. She is the heart of the film and she represents the theme of trust and vulnerability through her character and as we see how full of happiness and positive spirit she had upon first meeting her to how she is mentally by the final time we see her onscreen is emotionally gutted, betrayed and shattered and the sheer progression we see of what her heart goes through in the course of this film is gutting to watch but she shows her heart bleed slowly and it’s devastating but oh so captivating. Her love for her husband is what blinds her from what’s really going on as the last person she is going to suspect is involved in the murders of her family and friends is her husband. You truly feel for her as she has no idea what is going and thinks her husband is doing what’s best for her and the bond they have created. Gladstone presents the sheer love that Molly had for her husband and the sheer loyalty she had for her husband yes but just for someone she fell in love with and unfortunately that love she had for him he used to manipulate her with. You can see how careless her judgment becomes as she’s so head over heels with Ernest she isn’t thinking right which just makes you heart hurt more when she realizes later what he’s doing to her and her family. As she was very blunt upon meeting him because you could see she was hesitant in a way to even engage In conversation with him because he could just want her for money and connections to her wealth to such a extent that her sisters told her that very thing too. But as their relationship flourished she abandoned and sense of smart judgment for love and even when she’s being slowly poisoned she suspect’s something going on by again keeps denying who it could be as she refuses to accept the fact it’s coming from the man she loves so deeply. It gets to such a point where we see her fall more and more into psychically poor health almost to her passing away before she comes to a moment of clarity and realizes what’s been going on with her health and the deaths around her. Gladstone shows that sensitivity and tenderness through her eyes and from small characteristics that make a profound impact through her performance. As when she is deep in love as she is for most of the picture even through the dark aspects of what’s going on she never stopped loving Ernest but in the beginning you can see the sheer life in her eyes and the smiles across her face that she found someone that loves her for her and not because of her money which sadly wasn’t the case. Gladstone is able to pierce your heart through the evolution of seeing inside her soul through glances and the delivery of her dialogue you can see she means each word with her whole heart. The fact she can hold her own against big names like De Niro and DiCaprio and she ends up being one of the standouts you have to do something truly special to hold you own against such talent like that. When she plunges into the darkest moments of her tragic life you can see pieces of her dying with each terrible piece of news that falls upon her. Their is a scene when she looses a loved one and she lets out such a painful and genuine scream of sadness and anger that it dose not even feel acted it came from such a raw place in her heart it stays with you. Now there aren’t many moments of outburst she has of big bombastic emotion she suffers in silence for a lot of it but that scream was a build up of so much hurt and pain it resulted in something so haunting and Gladstone is a revelation in this film. She’s able to explore the relationship with her family and her husband as well as the religious person she was as well she delves into her faith and how she was able to stay so mentally stable despite all the traumatizing things that would of broken the average person she remained solid. She could evoke such staggering emotion through such small gestures and she wears her heart on her sleeve in a performance that is monumental and truly a tour de force from Lily Gladstone she truly deserves all the amazing praise for her remarkable work on this film as she gives one of the best performances I’ve ever seen in my life with her portrayal of Molly Lily Gladstone is truly mesmerizing!
Robert De Niro : This is a top 3 greatest career performance by Robert De Niro! Now I loved his work in the Irishman I think that is an amazing emotionally restrained performance that is criminally underrated. That being said what he brings to the role of William Hale in this film is truly something special. Now we’ve seen De Niro play shady characters through the course of his career but none as despicable and so repulsive as this character because there is no humanizing his actions or his character whatsoever. The person he’s playing is fully aware of what he’s doing is wrong and purely evil and the way he brings this manipulative presence to the screen was phenomenal. As this is a person who has been so involved in peoples lives and their financial burdens they had no way to question someone who cared so deeply about them to be the person who was orchestrating slimy individuals to knock them off one at a time and in such a way that he isn’t suspected. When he gets wind of how much fortune he would come into if his nephew married an Osage the wheels in his brain start turning to map out a plan that is soaked in bloodshed. Even when he’s been starting up such a devious plan his nephew has no idea to the full extent his uncle is willing to go for financial gain. The way De Niro can have the audience figure out what is going on in his brain with just a look and he brings such a dominating presence to the screen that is chilling to see unfold over the course of this story. As he speaks about the Osage as objects and not as human beings he talks to them like friends but then treats them like bodies with no soul. He can joke about killing them as if it’s a punchline and he’s so socially deaf on what’s acceptable to say he lets his charm and staged kindness overpower his dark and truly sinister way of speaking. He’s so well liked by the townspeople he takes full advantage of his reputation he’s built as the man who’ll do anything to help others that they shrug off what William Hale says which most people would of questioned. De Niro channels that psychopathic behaviour so well when you see him attending a person’s funeral or even asking if theirs anything he can do to help better one’s health when he is fully aware he’s the reason why their life is in a decline and yet he could care less because his needs in his mind are more important then their lives which is disgusting. He’s able to walk such a fine line when comforting a friend with what’s going on in his life and then going to his nephew telling him to keep the shots going but at a certain pace so she doesn’t suspect she’s being poisoned it’s so unsettling. He can switch within moments of being warm and kind to cold and heartless with just the way he delivers a line it’s even the more amazing the way he can underline something that may seem innocent when he speaks but has such bad intentions under the surface of what he actually is trying to tell someone without being so upfront about it. De Niro is truly outstanding in this film giving such a layered performance of such a dark individual. He can lie through his teeth but the truth is found in his eyes and De Niro shows that bleak truth amazingly well in those subtleties that will blow you away. He’s so far Gone emotionally he thinks he is doing what’s best and believes it which is horrifying. De Niro delivers one of his greatest performances of his entire career with his amazing supporting turn as William Hale.
Leonardo DiCaprio : DiCaprio delivers what I think is his greatest onscreen performance with his work as Ernest Burkhart in Killers Of The Flower Moon. Now I understand how that is a big statement to make considering the body of work he’s made for himself over the course of his career. Now his work in Killers Of The Flower Moon is unlike anything we’ve ever seen DiCaprio deliver from a performance perspective and as well the way he tackles this character it’s truly something special he gives onscreen. As in my opinion he has the most complex personality to portray for the reason he is torn between the love of his life and then his family and he’s being pulled in two different directions. As from the very beginning of the story his uncles sinister plan is in motion and he has to essentially has three personalities one being this charming and in love man who loves this woman that became his wife and then when he’s not around her he is this sleazy and rude person who will do anything to earn a dollar and the third being a personality trait we don’t see until the third act which is heartache his heart starts to bleed due to the double life he’s been living and it starts to exhaust him. Those three personalities are constantly switching sometimes within the same scene and DiCaprio brings an electric presence to the screen that is so powerful. He usually plays the pretty boy roles in films and the only other role I can compare such a repulsive character to he’s played is in Django Unchained which is the only other antagonist i remember him taking on. Now he has to constantly keep his wife not suspicious of the sinister things him and his wife are up to so he’ll constantly be sweet and loving to her when she thinks it’s all genuine and that he’s looking out for her now theirs a aspect of him that does care for her but then theirs another side of him that uses that charm and kindness to his advantage and manipulates her so she won’t catch to his devious plan. And when you notice him starting to do that it makes you even sick to look at him as how could one person say he loves his wife and then be hurting her family and still be getting a good nights sleep after that it’s mind boggling. As when he starts feeling the pressure from his uncle more and more as he starts taking longer then expected to end his wife’s life for the fact he still deep down has feelings for her he cannot fathom doing something so terrible but he’s come so far with his uncles plan now that if he dose not follow through on it then he’ll feel he put her life in jeopardy for nothing. Then theirs the feeling of guilt he has of knowing he’s hurting her for financial gain but if she finds out what he’s been doing he’ll be so disgusted with himself that he did it to begin with and that sheer anxiety does eat away at him slowly and Leonardo DiCaprio is able to show the building conflict within his soul as he’s selling his soul for his uncle and for greed but is it worth it tho and he constantly struggles with that and it’s not until him and his uncle are faced with their crimes he really gets to face those thoughts head on. As an actor who’s known for playing sure complicated characters before he’s never played someone who’s so emotionally manipulative and morally put through the wringer like this such as Ernest. His performance never feels sympathetic for a moment you don’t feel like he’s trying to humanize Ernest as what he’s done is made you understand his feelings throughout the course of this tragic moment in time and what his mindset was like and that it wasn’t just business and murdering a bunch of people for their tie to wealth it was so much more complex then that. The sheer amount of layers this man had is shocking and DiCaprio explores all aspects to his life and presents it in explosive emotional gripping ways that will amaze you as you can see the sheer amount of raw emotion in his eyes to the sounds of his cries coming from such a deep place in his soul it feels so real. From the way he walks to the look of his smile and even the way his cheerful gleam in his eyes slowly start to fade as the story progresses those small details were great contributions to making his character truly stand out and really stay with you long after the film is over. Ernest is such a morally grey character and seeing Leonardo explore that through the course of the story was incredible as many will say wolf of Wall Street is his best performance but after seeing his work in Killers Of The Flower Moon this is truly the best performance he’s given in his entire career it’s a tragic character put on full display with personalities switching up a mile a minute while also shedding light onto a side of DiCaprio we have never shown to such a degree like this and it’s truly a phenomenal performance that will have you discussing every inch of his performance it’s a masterful tour de force by DiCaprio.
Martin Scorsese : Scorsese delivers the finest direction of his incredible career! Now I think Martin Scorsese is the greatest filmmaker of all time and truly has left a lasting impact on filmmaking that will forever be cherished and studied. From films like Mean streets to films like silence he’s the only singular director I can think of that’s covered every genre and executed them brilliantly. Now with him taking on the indigenous community is the biggest creative risk he’s taken since taking on the Catholic film last temptation of Christ he did back in the 80’s. As many people are calling this a western goodfellas which it’s not it’s so much more then that is their a crime aspect to the story yes their is but it is in no way comparable to that film in any regard. As he’s having to deal with a true life tragedy that occurred that very few people know of and theirs a certain expectation from him people are going to make sure has to be met. Because he’s an Italian filmmaker who’s reputation is known for the gangster films he’s made even tho I would say he’s more then just those films as his range of films is unlike anything. That being said he’s not an Osage or indigenous filmmaker so the pressure is enormous for the fact he has to make sure the story is told truthfully as possible while also respecting the people who’s lives were lost from this terrible tragedy. So he’s taking on a whole other animal creatively that he hasn’t been tasked with like this in a very long time as he does not make the film stylistic like his other pictures theirs no big flashy editing or needle drop moments of the Rolling Stones which is trademarks of his. If anything he pulls back on the things he’s known for and goes places we’ve never seen him explore which as a fan of his is so exciting at the age of 80 he’s still going to new heights creatively. As he shot on location where these events occurred and went down to the very detail of the time period this film takes place in down to marching the dirt that was used in the 20’s everything felt so exact to the time this story takes place in. As his films feel so immersive for that reason they feel so lived in for his amazing attention to making you feel transported back to the time he sets his films in. He worked tirelessly to make sure this film was done right for the Osage he casted locals and actual indigenous actors for half of the cast he didn’t White wash the film regardless if the actors were famous or unknowns he made sure he casted the right actor for each part so it was done right and respectfully. He also makes the tone of this film dark in such a way it feels very different what I mean is their are a ton of films he has made with heavy topics before for sure but this film has such a gut wrenching darkness and bleak nature to the frame you can’t help but feel it in each frame of the film. He tells the story from the point of view of Ernest which some criticized him for not telling it more from the point of Molly but him telling stories from the perspective of the shady characters he has been doing since he started making films. He never glorifies or humanizes any of their actions if anything this is one of the few films he has made where most of the characters we come into contact with are horrible people. He also has the actors speak Osage which I thought was incredible not only did it immersive you more into the setting of the film but the sheer dedication of getting this story so accurate to the point of having De Niro and DiCaprio speak their native tongue those details really made the frame Come alive in authenticity. The film is very quiet and the pacing is amazing as its a three and half hour picture but it felt like two hours and that’s just a testament to the outstanding editing done on the film. It for sure though moves slower and a shot lingers on a setting for a few seconds more to let you take in the full scope of this film and the runtime is definitely earned. Their is no scene I found that should of been cut for time or I never felt anything missing the story is too important to trim the runtime just because people may become restless sitting for a longer time in a theatre. The performances he gets from top to bottom from his main three actors Gladstone, De Niro, DiCaprio all giving career best performances to great performances from the supporting cast from the likes of Brendan Fraser to John Lithgow he captured such incredible onscreen performances from the entire cast. As Scorsese has gotten into the later part of his life his films have become more emotionally charged I find which I think is amazing to witness as films like Silence which was a emotionally gutting take on religion and The Irishman being a chamber piece of one looking back on his life he really has gotten more deep with the material he tackles which I would argue is some of the best work of his career because with each film he makes he is showing us a different part of himself. The way he takes on this film captures so much of who he is a filmmaker it explores religious tones both Catholic and osage faiths are shown in visually striking ways, He is able to have the themes of trust and betrayal shown in the tragic couple we follow of Ernest and Mollie. Then you have him presenting on a large scale a old fashioned western without the stereotype tropes that have come from this genre in the past it has no white saviour complex he tells the facts for how it happened. Regardless of how ugly and unsettling it can be at times he is holding a mirror up to a tragic moment in history that should and cannot be repeated and he wants people to take notice this happened and its striking. He also takes his two most used collaborators De Niro and DiCaprio in the same film and we get to see them work off one another in such a natural and incredible way while giving a ending to this film that i think is the greatest closing to a film he has ever made. If the Irishman was the closing chapter to the genre he helped redefine the ending of this film is the closing chapter to his career in many ways. If he never made another film after this I would totally be okay with that as the way he ended this is such an emotional and beautiful ending that perfectly honours his entire career as a filmmaker. Now a lot of his films are able to make humour out of bleak moments like casino, Goodfellas wolf of Wall Street theirs no humour here whatsoever as the subject matter is way to serious and fragile to treat anything remotely with a joke or punchline. The film is very much like a Shakespeare tragedy in the way the character Ernest is portrayed onscreen and the heart of the film is Mollie and wow does Gladstone deliver a amazing performance and then you have Robert De Niro the mastermind behind the shady scheming who gives a chilling performance that is one of the best of his career the film is just truly spectacular. It had me lost for words when the film ended with how captivating and amazingly well told this film was Scorsese has crafted something that is unlike anything he’s ever done and sure I love goodfellas like the next person but in terms of direction and story and performances this is definitely his strongest film he’s ever put to screen by far it’s a late career masterpiece by Scorsese giving truly spectacular direction.
Popular Reviews
-
Avengers Infinity War This film is one of the greatest cinematic experiences I’ve ever had! We have been working up to this for 10 years ...
-
Toy Story 4 This film is a gorgeous masterpiece that concludes the franchise with the greatest end to one of the greatest franchises e...
-
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade I think this film was the best out of the franchise. It had great action sequences and great chemis...
-
Do I love movies? If you know me you know that's a crazy question to ask. I love movies and have watched almost every movie I'm a...
-
Avengers : Endgame A Cinematic masterpiece for the ages! The culmination of 22 movies and 11 years to get to this moment and damn it...
-
Bohemian Rhapsody This film is the best of the year! This film Will satisfy Queen fans and introduce the younger generation to their m...
-
Logan This film is by far the greatest marvel movie ever made! Yea you heard me right the best marvel film ever made and I'll exp...
-
Fight Club This is such a original and fresh film that is astonishing ! Brad Pitt's performance is outstanding . The story was so uni...
-
Black Panther This film is an astonishing feet for Ryan Coogler and Marvel! Black Panther sets itself amoung the superhero genre by givin...
-
Brad Pitt Punched At Maleficent Premiere May 29th 2014 - Oscar Winner Brad Pitt was signing autographs at the film premiere Maleficent...
0 comments:
Post a Comment