Dane Bundy
Killer's of the Flower Moon (2023) and the Image of God
Are you ready for a summer flick full of laughter and whimsy where the boy gets the girl and the girl gets the sunset? Well, then this movie is not for you.
Killers of the Flower Moon is Martin Scorsese’s latest film based on the tragic murders of the Osage Nation. It stars some great talent, such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Deniro, and Lily Gladstone.
One on hand, the movie fits nicely into Scorsese’s canon of films. It’s basically a gangster movie shot as a western. And it reminds me of Goodfellas and The Irishman, and even The Departed, but with some key differences.
First, despite the violent and dark nature of the story, this film is quite tame compared to his other films, at least in terms of violence, sexuality, and language. Has Scorsese restrained himself a bit? I think so.
Not sure if it was intentional, but I’m grateful. We don't have to see everything to understand these men are wicked. And boy, the characters played by DeNiro and DiCaprio are evil men, consumed by lust for oil money. Sadly, they join forces and take advantage of the Osage people.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
But one thing that sets this film apart from his other gangster films is that this is a whole story.
If you haven't heard me share it before, a whole story is one in which:
Good is portrayed as good.
Evil as evil.
And good wins in the end.
Killers of the Flower Moon is a cautionary tale, and Scorsese brings a robust moral vision to the screen in which glimpses of justice finally come to Osage County. And unlike his other films, in the end, there’s nothing sexy or attractive about these gangsters.
The acting is exceptionally strong with beautiful cinematography and a compelling story line. My one critique is that this film is far too long, coming in at 3.5 hours. Personally, I think he could have cut out an hour of this film and it would have served the story much better.
Finally, this movie is not for kids, but I recommend it for thinking Christians. I see the film as a stark reminder that God has created all people in his image, and that they deserve to be treated as such.
As C.S. Lewis said in The Weight of Glory, "There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal..." As we make our way through life it is easy to forget that. Films like this can jolt us back, reminding us of this. Lewis continues,"[I]t is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors..."
In our hurried lives it is easy to reduce people to what they believe or what they can do for us. Our call as Christians is much higher: we are to love our neighbor, and that means even if they believe differently or offer nothing for us
Dane Bundy is president of Stage & Story and Director of Fine Arts at Regents School of Austin, a K-12 classical Christian school in Austin, Texas.
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