Movies with Isaiah: Scorsese's 'Killers of the Flower Moon' is incredible film

Martin Scorsese returns to the silver screen with an historical epic that focuses on a part of American history that I was not aware of in the slightest. As an individual who enjoys all aspects of history, I was surprised at how this specific topic was not covered during my years as an elementary, middle and high school student.

The film centers on the spree of Oklahoma murders of the Osage Indian Tribe in hopes of obtaining their wealth from their oil reserves.

Scorsese reunites with familiar collaborators in Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. Joining the cast is Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemmons, Brendan Fraser and John Lithgow. This latest Scorsese cinematic outing is three hours and 27 minutes. Upon this revelation, I must admit there was a strong sense of apprehension in my mind, as with three-hour features there is the risk of the story becoming tedious and dragging in its length.

One of the many surprises with the viewing was how despite the heavy dialogue, character exposition and lingering cinematic moments, there was never a moment when the runtime felt excruciatingly boring. The first and second hour flowed with such beautiful ease that I found myself forgetting it was a three-hour feature. DiCaprio portrays Ernest Burkhart, a former veteran returning to America, finding work with his uncle William King Hale, affectionately named as the King of the Osage tribe, with manipulative and shady motivations concerning the wealth of the Native Americans. Scorsese is a master of dialogue exposition in a manner of respecting the audience's intelligence while leaving mysterious information to our imagination.

The characters Ernest and William discuss specific plans without venturing into intricate details by acting with their facial reactions or deviating eye contact. As a viewer, discussions of that scope can truly be frightening, particularly since dark secrets are never viewed in a manner where they could be considered pure and warm. Scorsese's ability in crafting those conversations in a fashion that not only chills, but also provides fear paints a picture for the audience in relation to the desperation of those who would commit any atrocity for the value of money.

The acting performances of DiCaprio, De Niro and Gladstone are all worthy of being recognized for Academy Awards. "Killers of the Flower Moon" showcases the most powerful acting from DiCaprio. He portrays the character in a manner of leaving the audience with the thought process of whether Ernest was truly aware of his actions or was he taken advantage of? It is a beautiful piece of acting with him transforming into a seemingly well-meaning, hard-working and honest man who sincerely has pure love for his wife. Gladstone is another impressive highlight with her soft-spoken and determined performance. I would not be the least bit surprised if she is nominated for and wins the Academy Award for Best Actress.

De Niro, as per usual, turns in a great performance as the manipulative, greedy, corrupt and fork-tongued William King Hale. He is a villain who is not portrayed in over-the-top fashion. His performance is uniquely haunting in a way of being presented to the viewers that there are people exactly like him in our world as we speak. It is one of De Niro's finest acting outings while in the twilight of his cinematic career.

"Killers of the Flower Moon" has a precise, crystal-clear vision with its cinematography and set designs mirroring the atmosphere of 1920s Oklahoma. Scorsese has always been a master in capturing beautiful forms of imagery within his filmography, as he is one of the most innovative and meticulous directors in film.

Without venturing into spoilers, this is probably Scorsese's masterpiece, which is a bold statement considering it is the same man who made "Taxi Driver," "Goodfellas," "Casino," "Raging Bull," "Gangs of New York," "Shutter Island" and the "Last Temptation of Christ." Native American reservations are captured with mystical and magical storytelling reflecting on the traditional Indian beliefs, all of which awakened my desire to visit an Indian reservation at some point in the future.

"Killers of the Flower Moon" is an educational and intense reflection on a horrific part of American history that is an important viewing. Once again Scorsese delivers a 10/10 epic that manages to impact every single aspect of the mind, heart and soul. An incredible film.

To watch Isaiah Ridley's movie reviews online, find him @Izzy's Cinematic Escape on YouTube.