The Osage, including Mollie Burkhart and her family, are targeted by greedy, murderous White men to get at their new oil money in 1920s Oklahoma. This and so much more drive Martin Scorsese’s powerful epic Killers of the Flower Moon, now on all disc formats by The Criterion Collection.
The FIlm
Dear readers, this review is written a little differently from my normal style and methods. As I often do for films I’ve covered before writing here, I’m presenting what I wrote back then with a handful of edits for various reasons. If I wrote this fresh, it might be differently parsed, but the idea behind it would be the same. Thus, this review is adapted from my Facebook post upon watching Killers of the Flower Moon theatrically in 2023.
Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, based on the non-fiction book by David Grann, follows the abuse of the Osage people in Oklahoma across the first half of the 20th century. Oil is found on their land, and while it makes them rich, it’s sullied by stewardship laws, money hungry White men, and all-around corruption and several dozen murders. This era was known as the “Reign of Terror.” For the movie, especially Mollie Burkhart, is followed by her marriage to Ernest, a sallow man out for her fortune. But their relationship and the wider view are far more complicated and nuanced than that.
In an interesting touch in adaptation, as written by Scorsese and Eric Roth, the focus shifts. The book follows the investigation of what would soon become the FBI, with the Osage providing more background to the full. The film shifts to the people involved with Mollie as the central figure. Thanks ot this, the book and movie complement one another in interesting ways, forming a full story together. The book starts about halfway through the movie, oddly enough, although the background is filled in.
Martin Scorsese’s latest feature (as of 2026, the next just started filming) is one of his best. Not just recently bias, it has everything that makes the director’s films so iconic. Crime, gangsters, historical overlays, deep and complex characters. Although he brings along family actors of Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro, he gifts us with Lily Gladstone, who provides a mindblowing, brilliant performance. Local girl (Seattle represent!) makes good! Go Lily! (I still think she should have won the Oscar. Emma Stone in Poor Things was a fine choice, but I was rooting for Gladstone.)
Although with a 1920s true story filter, Killers of the Flower Moon is, at its heart, a gangster movie. We have morally disreputable protagonists who are absolutely not good people, yet we find ourselves fully engaged in their stories, especially as their layers of depravity are unveiled as they get what they want, and their desperation as this leads to a noose being tightened ever so slowly. The story twists and turns in unexpected ways, reveling in shifts that turn so much on end and deepen the world. The basics find the trials and tribulations of the Osage people. Forced west to Oklahoma, they find themselves rich in oil (of course, the Whites that put them there thought the land was useless), but now targeted and under the thumb of White Men who, as to be expected, say “How can we make this ours?” This leads to a lot of dead Native Americans and a government that doesn’t care until they are forced to (how things stay the same…)
While it’s not talked to as much when speaking of his work, Scorsese excels at period pieces: The Aviator, Gangs of New York, and Hugo (criminally underrated). The detail and world-building bring an additional level of depth and drama. The production design by master Jack Fisk and cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto are utterly gorgeous, creating and wowing the world with the creation and the sheer remarkable space of 20s Oklahoma. Killers of the Flower Moon is a masterpiece of mood photography and lighting, each frame exquisitely designed and set. From a visual standpoint, it’s worth the lengthy runtime, let alone the compelling story depth.
For Killers of the Flower Moon, we dig into a world we have rarely seen before. Albeit from a White perspective. This White POV gives less to the Osage being upfront, but in a meta-sense, it makes sense. But can’t help but want more of the Osage. Anyway, the white lead is via Leonardo DiCaprio’s WWI vet Ernest. He’s a hell of a character and one of Leo’s best performances. Ernest is a complicated, conflicted, and captivating man. He loves his wife, but willingly goes along with the schemes against her, causing harm. He’s someone hard to define as a person and in moral standards. So, a Scorsese character. Heck, everyone is top form. Robert DeNiro as Uncle Will, aka “King” – the man behind the long-form plan brings one of his all-time greatest performances too, with a smoldering anger and malice. But LILY GLADSTONE. Holy shit. Relative newcomer, and she commands the screen with a beautifully muted and engaging naturalistic performance. Not only holding her own but taking the spotlight from DiCaprio and DeNiro with ease is a skill. A great deal of praise should be heaped on all the sporting performances. There is a Coen-ness to the secondary characters. Delightful (even in menacing roles as many of the Whites are) and memorable, Scorecese has collected a hell of a notable cast of character actors to enliven the world.
It’s also a testament to the skill of longtime Scorsese editor Thelma Schoonmaker. It’s THREE AND A HALF HOURS LONG. And in no way feels it. Not just in making the whole flow in such a way that the time slides away, but the beats in the scene (especially the driving first act before it slows down). A master editor is still killing it. A great score helps that storytelling beat by passed Robbie Robertson astounds. Wow.
If Scorecese stops here as well, it would be a great button for a fantastic career. Killers of the Flower Moon is a beautiful culmination of 65 years of great film. Killers of the Flower Moon is a powerhouse of a film, perfectly written, presented, and acted, from the first frame to the perfect button closing the film. Even if you don’t pick up this disc, seek out the film if you’ve missed it for the past 3 years.
The Package
Criterion presents Killers of the Flower Moon with 3 discs, one 4k UHD, and two Blu-rays. The UHD and first Blu contain the film. All features are on the 2nd Blu-ray. In the digipak, the UHD is pressed on the left, and the Blu-rays overlap on the right. The exterior of the case has an image from the film of Osage in mud, and the interior has blanket patterns. Within is the booklet. It slides into a cardboard sleeve with art by Noah Kamonah. It’s also available without the 4k or with 2 DVDs instead of Blu-Ray.
Spine #1302
The Presentation
The 4k digital master is a top-notch presentation. Since it’s a 4k Criterion of a new Martin Scorsese picture, one with notable cinematography, design, and lighting, that’s no surprise. But it is one of the best I’ve seen. It’s a proof-of-concept disc. Magnificent. The audio is English/Osage with English subtitles.
The Features
All features are on the second Blu-ray. Man, I wish we had a commentary by Scorsese, but oh well; the features dig in pretty well, and it’s a very long film, so I get it.
The wonderful thing across the features is the reverence for the Osage and their history. All the effort was put into making it true to their lives, getting the details correct, and being as honest and clear as possible. I appreciate all of this. An insane amount of consulting went into it, with Osage members making up the cast and crew, ever present (filmed on location). This all seeps into the feel, lending incredible verisimilitude.
Documentary
A ranging overview of the history of the period, how the film was made, and life since. Pulls together just about everyone involved on both sides, and especially the Osage people. On top of being well put together in topics and discussion, it’s rather gorgeous. Incredible detail in the archival presentations of the Osage past and the present. It’s a mere 36 minutes but packs so much in.
WahZhaZhe: A Song for the Osage
Officially, about the astounding final sequence of a traditional dance in the modern era, driving home the power of the Osage, but it is far more. It’s about the truth of the story, the history of the people, the collaboration, and how much was done to get it all right. (33m)
Interview with DOP Rodrigo Prieto (archival)
An excerpt from a 2024 episode of the podcast Dolby Creator Talks has cinematographer Prieto, who was nominated for his work for this film (and 3 others), chat with the host. Despite the podcast, it’s a visual interview with film clips, stills, and other visual cues. Great talk on using the landscape, alternate lighting methods, rigs, special cameras, and everything in between. It’s a visually magnificent film, and hearing Prieto highlights why. (25m)
2023 Cannes Film Festival Conference
Excerpt from the post-film Q&A from May 2023. Another solid feature in highlighting the hows of the film, the accolades put upon, and the overall take. (30m)
Noah Kemohah
A short (1-minute) look at how Kemohah created the cover image for this release, using bones found across the Osage land.
Trailer
Booklet
A 36-page stapled booklet, designed to look like a family album. Along with the cast/crew, it has two essays. “A Formal Feeling” by Vinson Cunninham, about the film in Scorecese’s oeuvre of excess (and more), and a Prayer from the Abyss by Adam Piron. Both excellent essays weave history, Scorsese’s filmography, and the film together.
Final Thoughts
To close, I’m so glad to get a release of an Apple film. We need more; we don’t get enough of streamer-produced films on physical media. Double glad for it to be on Criterion. They gave it a wonderful release. Gorgeous look for a wonderful film, one of my favorites of the year. The supplemental package runs about 2 hours. It may be a little lighter than people might want or expect, but it’s a good set that shows the sheer amount of love that went into the film.