YNOT at the Movies

The United States of America, as well as many other countries such as Canada, are nations that were built on the land of indigenous tribes which were robbed by the white western settlers. Their histories in the last few centuries are soaked with indigenous people's blood. During the 1910s to 1930s, dozens of Native Americans were murdered in Osage County, Oklahoma, where the rich oil reservoir made its residents the wealthiest Americans per capita. Adapted from David Grann's nonfiction book, the legendary director Martin Scorsese's latest film "Killers of the Flower Moon" (USA 2023 | 206 min.) tells a gripping story about that history which has been long forgotten. Even though the three and half hour long running time could have been shortened, the film never stops revealing horrific crimes committed against the indigenous people.

After oil is discovered underground in Osage County, the indigenous tribes who live on that piece of land become wealthy, and subsequently, they also become the targets of greedy white people. The film opens with the images of a series of murdered indigenous people, whose deaths result in no investigation. Under these circumstances, World War I veteran Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) arrives to start a new life, under the wing of his uncle William "King" Hale (Robert De Niro), a godfather-like figure in town.

As her driver, Ernest meets a local indigenous woman Mollie (Lily Gladstone). King instructs Ernest to marry her in order to gain access to her wealth. King's grand plan proceeds as he schemes it: Mollie's sister Anna (Cara Jade Myers) is shot to death; Mollie's another sister and her mother Lizzie (Tantoo Cardinal) slowly die of a "wasting disease;" and Mollie's youngest sister is blown into pieces after a bomb explodes under her house.

Ernest and his brother Byron Burkhart (Scott Shepherd), as well as some other thugs and criminals, are actively involved in these and other killings in the community, under the direction of King. When Mollie's family members are all gone, she becomes the only one left before Ernest, therefore King, can get all the assets of Mollie's family. So, it's no surprise that Millie begins to suffer the mysterious wasting disease like her other relatives.

But Mollie and her people don't give up easily. She goes to Washington, D.C. on her tribe's behalf to lobby the government to look into the killings in Osage County. Eventually, the federal government sends a team led by the F.B.I. agent Tom White (Jesse Plemons) to investigate the crimes against the indigenous people. That finally puts the lawless killing to an end and brings King and Ernest to justice.

In a steady pace and mesmerizing visuals, the director Martin Scorsese unfolds a devastating and brutal tale of ruthless crimes that sometimes resemble those in his "Goodfellas" (1990). He also told the story primarily from the perspective of Ernest, the complicated criminal. Ernest is not as evil as his uncle King is, and his marriage to Mollie is not completely based on greed either. He actually loves his wife, but his love cannot overpower his fear and obedience to his uncle, even until the very end. It's fascinating to watch Leonardo DiCaprio play this tormented soul who is used as a pawn in King's grand criminal scheme toward the indigenous people.

Lily Gladstone gives a terrific performance as Mollie, who suffered loss after loss and endured her own illness caused by white people who went after her money. Her calm and quiet demeanor shows her unbroken dignity despite her sorrow.

Although the captivating story continues to roll out on the screen, it could have been told in a shorter running time. Maybe Martin Scorsese already felt that he needed to end the movie soon after more than three hours, the film's ending looks rushed and unsatisfying compared to the rest of the film, as if the cry for injustice against Native Americans is muffled.

"Killers of the Flower Moon" opens on Friday, October 20, 2023.