‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ is Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of David Grann’s novel of the same name. Ela Bicera reviews the film and offers a different perspective on how proper representation is of utmost importance in telling the stories of an oppressed nation like the Osage tribe’s.
“Can you find the wolves in this picture?” This was the question from one of the teaser trailers of the film in which all the white characters looked in front of the camera. After watching the film, it’s pretty obvious that they all are the wolves. If you’re having reservations about them, don’t you think it’s also good to ponder on why they all looked in your direction?
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) showed how every white American came flocking to Oklahoma, where huge amounts of oil deposits were initially discovered by the Osage tribe, which brought upon a kind of wealth and power that lead to the brutal murders and disappearances of their people.
Despite its outright display of horrifying facts, the film still feels like it is holding back to what it’s telling us. With Ernest Burkhart as the main lens of the film, there are moments that show its weakness to their stand with the truth. Like Burkhart, the film sometimes plainly gives in whenever there is a chance to be oblivious. Despite every crime that he witnessed and also participated in, he was so easily swayed and kept on changing sides.
The film is supposed to show a mystery to be solved, a story that would explain how these horrific events happened to the Osage people. But what is the mystery? What is there to find out? What is there to consider about how easier it is to make insurance policies for your rich Osage friends and suddenly kill them behind their backs, or telling their women how lovely their skin color is and the huge amount of money they have in the bank? What is there to contemplate when an old white couple whispers between themselves on how their future generation will be surrounded with “half-mixed sandwiches” while looking at the children and comparing who’s white and superior, and who’s colored and weak? What doubts do you still have when a bunch of white old men are conspiring the demise of your people, and calling it “God’s will”?
I don’t know how it can be confusing to see an oppression that is as clear as day. Then again, these are Burkhart’s afterthoughts that could be perceived as Scorsese’s guilt on telling a nightmare that his own people caused. It was not easy to admit a mistake you didn’t make, and yet it was part of you anyway. Along with his short participation in the film, it clearly shows that he made this with greater sensitivity and goodwill he could give. And like the film’s consultant Christopher Cote has said, it will take an Osage person to tell an authentic Osage story.
I just wished that he wasn’t so limited with just showing Burkhart’s feelings and moments. His wife and an Osage woman Mollie has much more interesting to tell us. She’s not the aggressive and vengeful type of woman. And it’s not gullibility that slowed her down, rather it is the fact that she was blinded with Burkhart’s love and sincerity to their family. But even with her deteriorating health and enemies surrounding her, that did not stop her from fighting back and looking at them with an honest and resentful eyes. Something that Burkhart, William Hale or even the FBI wouldn’t be able to do.
Like Scorsese, Leonardo Di Caprio performed Ernest Burkhart with great earnestness to the story but also a restraint on his part to not outshine his co-stars. Jesse Plemmons’ involvement was a kind of surprise to me, but his FBI Agent Tom White also did what Leo had done, but with much effectiveness and finesse to the role. I could not say the same to Brendan Fraser though. His shouting and overreacting Hamilton just reminds me that he’s still immersed with his character on The Whale (2022).
I believe it is Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro who gave such well-done performances. What they did was astounding and daunting at the same time. It is not their story to tell, but they embodied their characters with no holdbacks or detachment. They believed in their characters and dignified their truths that made the film as loud and important as it is today.
Until the end, this is a story with no booming music in the background or showing shaky or zooming in cameras. It wasn’t intended to be too dramatic or to appease a conflict. This has happened, and still is happening in every part of the world. And with wolves hunting for power and innocents treated as preys, do doubts still cloud your mind?
Killers of the Flower Moon is now showing in PH cinemas nationwide.
