'Killers of the Flower Moon'

Ernest Burkhart, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, wants to kill Indians to take their land and oil fields, in "Killers of the Flower Moon".

Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film is inspired by the non-fiction crime novel of the same name by journalist David Grann. The plot revolves around the murder of the Osage Indians in Oklahoma in the early 20th century. After the American Civil War, the Osage people became the richest community in the world thanks to oil. However, their prosperity made them the target of violence and exploitation by white people.

Scorsese recreates the massacre to illustrate the human reaction to physical force. Unlike the original work, the filmmaker moderates the story of the birth of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Scorsese spends most of the film describing the incident from the perspective of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), one of the people involved in the case.

The first part of the film evokes a detective color, with a series of Indians being killed for unknown reasons. But soon after, the murderer and the motive are revealed by director Scorsese through the main character's relationships. From here, the work turns to the story of Ernest's love and crime.

In the white people's terms at that time, Mollie's family (played by Lily Gladstone) was a "purebred" Indian family, consisting of an elderly mother and four daughters. Ernest married Mollie under the guidance of his uncle William Hale (Robert De Niro), in order to seize the inheritance from Mollie's family. From the beginning, Ernest was fully aware of his criminal behavior, but was caught between Hale's plot and his budding feelings for Mollie. His weakness and cowardice made him manipulated by Hale.

The film explores cultural and ethnic conflicts, which are the themes of many of Martin Scorese's works such as Gangs of New York (2002), The Departed (2006). The 206-minute duration depicts a dark period in American history, while also raising big questions about human rights . The director shows many deaths and ways of committing crimes to clearly show the negative side of morality, when people do not hesitate to kill each other to achieve their goals.

Ernest Burkhart (right, played by Leonardo DiCaprio) is persuaded by his uncle William Hale (Robert De Niro) to commit murders of Native Americans. Photo: Apple TV +

The journeys of love and crime go hand in hand but are opposites. At times, Ernest is moved by Mollie's generosity, but he cannot escape the temptation of money. At first, Ernest orders others to kill, and gradually he poisons his wife himself. Ernest cannot even explain why he harmed Mollie even though he loves her very much.

The scene where Ernest drinks the poison he used to give Mollie shows the character's psychological turmoil. The camera pans from Ernest's bedroom to the fire outside the house. At this point, the audience's perspective shifts to Ernest's, as he sees the men moving in the sea of fire.

According to critic Brian Tallerico, Scorsese used this metaphor to show human cruelty. The director did not try to hide the killer's identity until the end of the film, but wanted to say that white people's crimes were happening right before the audience's eyes.

The cast is a key factor in the success of the film. Leonardo DiCaprio shows his acting ability through his actions and eyes, from a man considered a war hero when he returns to Oklahoma after the Civil War, to a weak husband who cannot protect his wife. The scene where Ernest faces the incriminating questions from the court shows his late remorse.

Robert De Niro shows class in his transformation into William Hale, a cattle rancher with ambitions to rob the Natives of their property. De Niro conveys the character as the embodiment of evil but disguised as an angel, with a face that is not shaken or afraid. The Osage community respects Hale and regards him as "King of the Osage Hills" because of his contributions to the development of society. On the other hand, they do not know that Hale is the one who planned to kill the people.

Along with two top Hollywood stars, Lily Gladstone’s performance as Mollie also impressed many viewers. The actress portrayed the character’s transformation well, from gentleness when meeting Ernest for the first time, pain when witnessing the death of a loved one, to coldness in the confrontation with Ernest at the end.

In May, the film received a nine-minute standing ovation at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. When the film ended, the loudest cheers went to Lily Gladstone, who received many compliments and could not hold back her tears.

The chemistry between Leonardo DiCaprio (right) and Lily Gladstone - as husband and wife - gives the film depth. Photo: Apple TV +

The Guardian newspaper commented that the film has many bold scenes, especially in reflecting the situation of white people plundering not only the land and resources but also the culture and heritage of the indigenous community. IGN said that the director delves into the true story of the past to condemn the mistreatment of the Indians.

"The three-and-a-half-hour runtime is more than adequate, and the performances are superb, keeping viewers glued to the end," writes Slate's Joel Robinson.

Killers of the Flower Moon marks the first collaboration between DiCaprio and De Niro in 30 years, since This Boy's Life directed by Michael Caton-Jones. In the 1993 film, De Niro played Toby's (Leonardo Dicaprio) stepfather Dwight. Thirty years later, the 80-year-old actor plays Ernest Burkhart's uncle William Hale, who uses his nephew to carry out a robbery plan.

Hoang Ha (According to vnexpress.net)

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