First Reactions Call Killers of the Flower Moon a Masterpiece

Martin Scorsese has done it again. The director of big titles like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Aviator, Wolf of Wall Street and The Irishman, is ready to wow audiences again with his new film, Killers of the Flower Moon.

Based on Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, the non-fiction novel by David Grann, the plot centers on members of the Native American tribe in Osage County, Oklahoma, who are murdered. when oil is found on their land, and the FBI decides to investigate.

Killers of the Flower Moon stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Scott Shepherd, Pat Healy, Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, Jillian Dion, William Belleau, Louis Cancelmi, Tatanka Means, Michael Abbott Jr., Gary Basaraba , Brendan Fraser, Jason Isbell, and Sturgill Simpson.

Related: Killers of the Flower Moon Trailer Reunites Leonardo DiCaprio with Robert De Niro & Martin Scorsese

The First Reactions Are Loving Killers of the Flower Moon

Although the film will only hit theaters in October, ready to be one of the great candidates for the next awards season, it has already debuted at Cannes and conquered the audience, whose first reactions highlight the new production of the Oscar-winning director.

Peter Debruge from Variety wrote:

“So how does Scorsese justify the running time? Shooting the film on location in Oklahoma, he and DP Rodrigo Prieto immerse audiences in the oil-rich community, featuring street races and downtown parades, plus a stunning scene in which King’s cattle can be seen burning in his fields. Picnics and powwows provide more than just production value, situating this incredible story within a singular place and time.”

David Ehrlich from IndieWire said:

“That sepia-toned saga of slow-poisoned self-denial is sustained by the best performance of Leonardo DiCaprio’s entire career. The former matinee idol has never been shy about playing low-lifes and scum-bums, but his nuanced and uncompromising turn as the cretinous Ernest Burkhart mines new wonders from the actor’s long-standing lack of vanity.”

Here’s what Matt Neglia from Next Best Picture has to say:

“It is a reminder of why the master has not lost his touch and is still, at age 80, finding new ways to push the medium forward while keeping cinema alive.”

Pete Hammond from Deadline wrote:

“There are many ways to spoil the sheer pleasure of watching a master filmmaker handle a vast tale like this, working at the top of a very impressive game at a time when many have retired.”

David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter said:

“But the shift into historical Americana breathes a soulfulness into the material that feels distinct from most of the director’s output. This is a film as richly atmospheric as it is character-driven, heightened by the somber colors of Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography and the evocative details of Jack Fisk’s customarily scrupulous period production design.”