Black Gold and Broken Promises: Colonial Shadows in Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon
Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Department of English Language and Literature, Semnan University
Abstract
Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) offers a poignant exploration of the Osage murders of the 1920s. It exposes the systemic exploitation and violence perpetrated under the guise of colonial legality and authority. This essay examines the film through the frameworks of economic colonialism, violence and cultural erasure, and the complicity of legal institutions which in turn reveals how settler greed weaponized familial ties, legal systems, and symbolic violence to strip the Osage Nation of their wealth and autonomy. By juxtaposing the Osage's cultural richness and resilience against the calculated brutality of settler colonialism, Scorsese critiques the moral ambiguities of power and the enduring legacies of systemic injustice. Through layered narratives and compelling character portrayals, the film not only recounts historical atrocities but challenges audiences to confront the pervasive dynamics of exploitation and oppression in modern society. Killers of the Flower Moon underscores the cyclical and pervasive nature of exploitation and violence within colonial and institutional systems. It compels the audience to confront the uncomfortable truths about power and morality.
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