Yes No Maybe So: "Killers of the Flower Moon"

by Cláudio Alves

Ahead of the film's Cannes premiere, Apple TV has released the teaser for Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon. The historical crime drama cum Western epic has been intensely anticipated by film lovers everywhere, making itself the hottest ticket at the Croisette, where it'll screen out of competition. With an exclusive theatrical release scheduled for October before dropping on the streaming service sometime afterward, the picture is well positioned to be one of the awards season's strongest contenders, with many predicting it in early prognostications. Though, when faced with the wonder of Scorsese's cinema, awards talk feels superfluous.

Not all filmmakers slow down in their twilight years, as is the case of this auteur. Indeed, in a recent interview, Scorsese talked about his sense of mortality, how the possibilities of the seventh art keep expanding to him, and there's not enough time to explore them all. It's too late. Following the superb Silence and The Irishman, Killers of the Flower Moon looks like the work of a master who still has much to show us…

YES

• Scorsese is enough reason to make this an absolute yes without a second thought. Even so, there's more to this teaser than the mere promise of great directing. Still, watching Scorsese helm his first western is exciting beyond belief.

• Rodrigo Prieto looks to be doing some of the best work of his career, capturing the sprawl of the American landscape while suggesting the seedy shadows lurking within and outside its purview. The trailer starts and ends with its most stellar shots, the euphoria of the landscape bursting with oil contrasting with the shadowy menace of a room full of ghostly white faces. Prieto also shot Barbie from this year's roster.

• The book by David Grann, on which the film is based, is a fascinating piece of non-fiction literature, full of juicy material and a sorrowful meditation on violent American history. It should be interesting to see what Scorsese and cowriter Eric Roth did with the material. 

• Lily Gladstone, who wowed in Certain Women, is heavily featured in the trailer. The video pulses with the promise of an excellent performance, her eyes suggesting great depths even in this miniature format. She could be one of the picture's leads, depending on the adaptation choices.

• This is the first time Scorsese collaborates with production designer Jack Fisk and costume designer Jacqueline West. Though one mourns the loss of the usual Dante Ferretti and Sandy Powell splendor, the new names feel appropriate for the story at hand. Some of their past work includes many a Terrence Malick film and The Revenant. Later this year, West also has Dune: Part Two.

• The prominence of cameras and projections, whether photos taken at the train station or Robert De Niro's visage in a screening room, feels enticing. I'm eager to see how Scorsese visualizes his meditation on history, how it's recorded and persists. The Western genre feels especially prone to such dissections, the weight of American iconography and mythos baked into the genre's genesis.

NO 

• To tell the truth, there's not a single element of this teaser that inspires an adverse reaction. The closest is the matter of some casting choices and apparent performance. Scorsese's infatuation with Leonardo DiCaprio is long-lasting, but his take on the role feels mired in some disruptive mannerism. He looks too old for the part presented in the book, perchance too stuck on his usual registers. Still, it's a minor complaint. Not even a genuine complaint, only the closest there is to it.

MAYBE SO

• On the other hand, it'll be great to finally see Scorsese's two favorites act in the same movie. At long last, DiCaprio and De Niro are joined in this master of cinema's oeuvre. But will this long-awaited collaboration meet people's expectations?

• Hopefully, Brendan Fraser is better in this than in the movie that earned him his Oscar.

• "Can you find the wolves in this picture?" has the potential to become exceedingly annoying once social media gets ahold of it, meme-fying the movie before most of us get to see it.

• Scorsese-related social media discourse is always insufferable, so prepare for another round.

• That said, a part of it feels justified by the long history of indigenous people misrepresentation in Hollywood history. According to various interviews and press statements, the filmmakers consulted extensively with the remaining Osage community, changing multiple aspects of the project to accommodate their perspective. So, we'll see, but I'm optimistic.

• Finally, while that doesn't bother me, many folks will bristle at the long running time. At 196 minutes, Killers of the Flower Moon is the second-longest Scorsese narrative film.

In conclusion, there's no way I could be more YES. How about you, dear reader? Regarding the Killers of the Flower Moon trailer, are you a Yes, a No, or a Maybe So?

Comments

[Doug]

The trailer and talented cast are very promising. Then again, Scorsese's last movie was so mind-numbingly dull and pointless that it inspired absolute rage in my blood to the point that I stood up and yelled "Booooo" in the theater at the conclusion of it's 942-hour running time.

[PoliVamp]

Having read the book, the heavy emphasis on DiCaprio - especially knowing who he is portraying - worries me. That person should not be the focus of the story - it should be Lily Gladstone or Jesse Plemons' characters.

[Mr Ripley79]

100 per cent yes less for DiCaprio who actually seems like more of a backgrounded character in the trailer and more for Gladstone and a hopefully return to his glory days De Niro,It looks beautiful but gritty,I'm getting PTA vibes from the images.

[thevoid99]

FUCK YES!!!!! I will totally fucking see this.

[Philip H.]

This is obviously a major Oscar player.

I fully expect Lily Gladstone to get nominated - it'll be interesting to see if she's lead or supporting, and how they decide to categorize her regardless of that.

I didn't even notice Brendan Fraser once in the trailer when I watched it.

[rrrich7]

Definitely a Yes from me. I love Scorcese even though he has some films I don't exactly love. I am also glad he uses Leonardo di Caprio most of the time. And great that he included De Niro. And can I just say the trailer is beautifully put together?

I guess my Yes is a qualified yes, in that I probably won't see it in the theater. I just can't get over the fact that it costs me $20 to go (counting popcorn and coke).

[Peter Bately]

The two nominees are exceptional. Both films showcase incredible talent and storytelling, making the competition extreme.
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