Martin Scorsese is the man, or rather the director. We know his name, you know his name, and so does every auto-correct function. Following his critically-acclaimed return to gangster films with The Irishman, Scorsese looks to pay homage to the western genre with Killers of the Flower Moon starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro—two of the biggest names in the game who, despite never appearing in a Scorsese film together, are also longtime collaborators of the director.
Like The Irishman, which featured Hollywood’s biggest mob bosses/actors in general, De Niro and Al Pacino (in a movie finally worth more screen time together), everyone will hype it as Scorsese’s pièce de résistance. However, while many loved The Irishman, a lot of people found it downright boring. Grossing less than $10 million in the U.S., The Irishman was a flop by any commercial standard. So, how can Killers of the Flower Moon avoid this disparity between critics and casual audiences who “might be demonstrating a failure to show appreciation?”
Cover Photo: Killers of the Flower Moon via Paramount Pictures
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killers of the flower Irishman
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We don't have all day.
Time is our most valuable asset: the excuse we use to explain our all but nonexistent attention spans. The Irishman’s biggest weakness is its three-and-a-half-hour runtime; populated by contrived and underdeveloped mob/political connection tidbits and news footage that could’ve been left out, with a slow third act. The film is at its strongest when it focuses on its central figures. Since its streaming debut, the Irishman has garnered a reputation for being boring. In fact, when searching The Irishman on Twitter that first week, you were suggested “The Irishman is boring.” In short, be shorter.
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No de-aging technology.
De Niro, Pacino, and Joe Pesci churn out some of their best work in The Irishman but let’s be honest, the film’s use of de-aging technology was bound to be criticized (even if it’s not as bad as anything Disney/Star Wars/Marvel has done). Ironically, Scorsese called Marvel movies/Avengers: Endgame “theme park rides” that weren’t real cinema around the time his effects-driven magnum opus was released—something The Irishman’s marketing focused on more than its plot. Regardless, it was a distraction and one we don’t need in movies/television beyond brief cameo appearances until the technology gets better. Otherwise, Hollywood needs to work out the legal issues surrounding the use of Deepfake.
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Avoid the formula (or don't).
The Irishman may not romanticize mob life but it’s still deeply formulaic and ridiculously predictable; on the surface, resembling a Scorsese compilation of Goodfellas, Casino, Mean Streets, etc. Especially if you’re familiar with the true story it depicts, you know where it’s going. On top of that, featuring cinema’s biggest mob movie guys makes it feel like just another mob movie, even if it isn’t. Killers of the Flower Moon should switch things up.
Like The Irishman, Killers of the Flower Moon is based on a nonfiction book; however, instead of following the life of an alleged mafia hitman/house painter, this new film will chronicle the early days of the FBI as the organization investigates a series of murders of wealthy Osage people that took place in Osage County, Oklahoma, in the early 1920s after oil deposits were discovered in their land. William Hale (De Niro) and his nephew, Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio), were key players in the plan to murder the Osage people. Jesse Plemons will star as Tom White, the FBI agent sent to investigate the Osage murders. Originally, DiCaprio was supposed to play Plemons’ character, pitting him against De Niro(similar hype), but chose to play one of the movie’s antagonists, Burkhart—something that will make for a stellar dynamic. Who doesn’t love a great villain? Let alone two.
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Don’t market it as the Leo/De Niro (or do).
In addition to its de-aging tech, De Niro, Pesci, and Pacino, The Irishman’s marketing leaned into the fact that it was Scorsese’s first collaboration with Pacino. All of that hype, especially the blundering exercise of shouting “De Niro, Pacino, and Scorsese together at last!” proved tiresome. In Killers of the Flower Moon’s case, De Niro is old-school and DiCaprio is new-school Scorsese.
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More action.
The Irishman isn’t about action but rather dialogue scenes and brooding. This age of high-speed chases, shootouts, and superheroes has ruined all that for casual audiences. While Killers of the Flower Moon is sure to indulge in a similar approach, Scorsese will likely pay homage to epic westerns of yesteryear. All we’re asking for is one (or two) standoffs/duels and maybe a few fistfights. Like The Irishman’s Netflix budget, Killers of the Flower Moon is being made with Apple TV+ on a reported budget of $200 million so Scorsese can do whatever he wants (tis the benefit of streaming services). That said, Scorsese doesn’t give a shit about appealing to the masses and probably shouldn’t. Just hurry the fuck up.
