Killers of the Flower Moon has been widely praised by critics, but what exactly are the glowing reviews saying about Martin Scorsese’s latest historical epic? Based on David Grann’s nonfiction book of the same name, Killers of the Flower Moon revolves around a series of murders connected to a vast oil fortune in the Osage Nation. The film has earned a near-perfect approval rating of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, indicating universal acclaim, putting it on par with the very best movies of Scorsese’s career. These positive reviews are hitting a lot of the same points about what Killers of the Flower Moon’s greatest strengths are.

The positive reviews of Killers of the Flower Moon seem to put any concerns about the movie to rest. There were concerns about the film’s daunting 206-minute runtime, but the critics all seem to agree that the length is justified. There were concerns about the white filmmakers’ portrayal of indigenous culture and history, but a Native critic has lauded the movie’s accuracy. Frequent Scorsese collaborators like cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto, composer Robbie Robertson, and editor Thelma Schoonmaker – not to mention A-list stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro – have done some of their best work on Killers of the Flower Moon.

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10 Killers Of The Flower Moon Earns Its Hefty Runtime

The expansive runtime of Killers of the Flower Moon, much like fellow three-hour historical epic Oppenheimer, has caused some concern and apprehension amongst weak-bladdered moviegoers. Killers of the Flower Moon runs even longer than Oppenheimer at a whopping 206 minutes. But according to the critical consensus around the film, Scorsese’s new opus earns its hefty runtime. The Hollywood Reporter’s David Rooney wrote that the movie’s three-and-a-half-hour runtime is “fully justified in an escalating tragedy that never loosens its grip.” It might go on for a long time, but it never gives the audience a second to breathe.

9 It's A Joy To See DiCaprio & De Niro Share The Screen In Killers Of The Flower Moon

Killers of the Flower Moon marks the first time that Scorsese has cast his go-to leading men – Robert De Niro, who has starred in 10 Scorsese films, and Leonardo DiCaprio, who has starred in six – in the same movie. DiCaprio plays Ernest Burkhart, while De Niro plays Ernest’s uncle, political boss William King Hale. De Niro and DiCaprio’s on-screen dynamic has been named as one of the film’s highlights. Stephen Romei wrote in his review for The Australian that every scene DiCaprio and De Niro share in Killers of the Flower Moon “will make you wish the cinematic gods had intervened to make them work together more often.”

8 Killers Of The Flower Moon Is A Martin Scorsese Western

With its striking dusty vistas and its historical tale of crime and corruption, Killers of the Flower Moon has been named as Scorsese’s first foray into the western genre. Scorsese has toyed with the themes and motifs of the western before – Taxi Driver is a reimagining of The Searchers set in contemporary New York and The Irishman tells the story of a notorious gunslinger reckoning with his dark past – but Killers of the Flower Moon is his first full-blown western. The Los Angeles Times’ Justin Chang praised the film’s “balance of Wild West expanses and intimate domestic spaces.”

7 Robbie Robertson's Score Builds Tension In Killers Of The Flower Moon

Ever since Scorsese directed the 1978 rockumentary The Last Waltz about Robbie Robertson’s aptly named band The Band, Robertson has been one of the legendary filmmaker’s closest collaborators. He worked on the music for Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, Casino, Gangs of New York, The Wolf of Wall Street, Silence, The Irishman, and now Killers of the Flower Moon. Robertson’s score for the latter has been praised for building tension within the film. In his review for Variety, Peter Debruge wrote that Killers of the Flower Moon’s “palpable tension” is “methodically echoed by Robbie Robertson’s steady-heartbeat score.”

6 Killers Of The Flower Moon Is Culturally & Historically Accurate

Vincent Schilling’s review for Native Viewpoint praised Killers of the Flower Moon as “a painstakingly accurate portrayal of Native people” and their culture and history. This isn’t always the case when white filmmakers attempt to tell an indigenous culture’s story – in fact, the opposite is usually true – but Schilling has lauded Killers of the Flower Moon for shining a sympathetic spotlight on the right people. He notes that, while other historically accurate westerns have focused on “unfortunate themes” like white saviors, Killers of the Flower Moon does not set out “to quell the guilt of white writers or filmmakers, but rather to accurately portray history.”

5 Killers Of The Flower Moon Is Well-Paced Thanks To Thelma Schoonmaker's Editing

Robertson isn’t the only frequent collaborator that Scorsese has reunited with to work on Killers of the Flower Moon. It’s also edited by Thelma Schoonmaker, who worked on Scorsese’s debut feature Who’s That Knocking at My Door and has edited all of his films since 1980’s Raging Bull. As usual, Schoonmaker prevents Scorsese from overindulging and keeps Killers of the Flower Moon moving at a brisk pace. The movie might be over three hours long, pushing four hours, but Schoonmaker’s razor-sharp editing ensures that there’s never a lull in the narrative momentum. This acclaim could mean a fourth Oscar win is on the cards for Schoonmaker.

4 Lily Gladstone Is Killers Of The Flower Moon's Breakout Star

While DiCaprio and De Niro are the biggest stars in the Killers of the Flower Moon cast, many reviews have named Lily Gladstone as the film’s breakout star. Gladstone plays Mollie Burkhart, Ernest’s Native American wife, and has quickly become a favorite for next year’s Academy Award for Best Actress. Schilling wrote in his Native Viewpoint review that, while DiCaprio and De Niro are “exceptional” in the film, Gladstone “delivers an electrifying and Oscar-worthy performance.” Esther Zuckerman of The Daily Beast wrote that “the soul of the movie belongs to Lily Gladstone, who... gives life to both her character’s pain and her spirit.”

3 Rodrigo Prieto's Cinematography In Killers Of The Flower Moon Is Stunning

Rodrigo Prieto was already a top contender for next year’s Academy Award for Best Cinematography, thanks to his dazzling pink-hued work on Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. But now, even more praise is being heaped on the cinematographer, due to the stunning imagery he shot for Killers of the Flower Moon. Reuniting with Scorsese after The Wolf of Wall Street, Silence, and The Irishman, Prieto brings his signature visual flair to the bleak landscapes of Killers of the Flower Moon. Rooney’s THR review claims that the film’s rich atmosphere is “heightened by the somber colors of Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography.”

2 Killers Of The Flower Moon Is A Harrowing Portrait Of America's Dark History

With its story of the murder and betrayal that Native Americans have suffered at the hands of the white man, Killers of the Flower Moon doesn’t shy away from portraying the darkest, grisliest atrocities in American history. John Nugent’s five-star review for Empire magazine praised the movie’s “monumental” portrayal of “the deadly legacy of America’s colonial sins.” The Observer’s Xan Brooks, who also gave Killers of the Flower Moon a perfect five-star rating, called the movie “almost Steinbeckian in its attention to detail and its banked, righteous rage.”

1 Killers Of The Flower Moon Is A Fresh Spin On Scorsese's Familiar Themes

Scorsese has been one of the world’s most renowned and revered filmmakers for the past half a century, and during that time, some recurring themes have popped up in his films. He often deals with money and the resulting greed and violence; families divided by an amoral patriarch; and, in broad strokes, the darkest corners of the human condition. According to the reviews, Killers of the Flower Moon tackles these familiar themes once again, but it offers a fresh spin on those themes by exploring them through the lens of America’s history of atrocities committed against its native people.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, The Australian, Variety, Native Viewpoint, The Daily Beast, Empire, The Observer