Brendan Fraser in Killers of the Flower Moon divides viewers

Brendan Fraser delivers a scene-stealing performance in Killers of the Flower Moon – but viewers can’t decide whether that’s a good or bad thing.

The Brenaissance is absolutely on. After a decade-long retreat from fame, the king has very much returned with an Oscar win for his performance in The Whale, a superb comeback appearance in No Sudden Move, a fan-favorite role in Doom Patrol, and his first-ever collaboration with Martin Scorsese.

In Killers of the Flower Moon, the star makes a late debut as the blunderbuss attorney of Leonardo DiCaprio’s Ernest, recalibrating the quiet tempo of the film with his loud, bombastic courtroom manner.

It’s an emphatic performance that’s deliberately at odds with everyone else on-screen, but that clash and Fraser’s acting has become a fierce subject of debate following the movie’s release.

Brendan Fraser’s performance divides Killers of the Moon viewers

Several clips of Fraser’s performance in Killers of the Flower Moon – filmed illegally in cinemas, we’d add – were shared on X/Twitter over the weekend. “As someone who admired Brendan Fraser’s acting in the movie The Whale, his acting in Killers of the Flower Moon was one of the worst acting performances I have ever seen in my life,” one user wrote.

“Everything about his voice, to his body movements feels extremely unnatural. It feels like he is reading off a script while he is speaking. And the way he overacts, feels extremely off. I know he is supposed to do this, but he isn’t supposed to do it so badly,” a second tweeted.

“Brendan Fraser is terrible in Killers of the Flower Moon. No amount of condescending tweets appearing in my feed calling it a great performance will make me think otherwise. I’m not commenting on that any further than that,” a third wrote.

However, many fans have rushed to Fraser’s defense, not only arguing that it’s a good performance but citing the original book and Scorsese’s directorial authority – in other words, if Marty says it’s good, it’s good.

“Brendan Fraser delivers his first line in KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON like he’s the GOAT and he knows it,” one wrote. “After watching the film I can say with 110% confidence that everyone talking shit on Brendan Fraser’s performance in Killers of the Flower Moon are on crack cocaine,” a second tweeted.

“The fact we are talking about Brendan Fraser’s mere 2-minute performance in KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON only proves how memorable he was. He made the most of what little screen time he had,” another wrote.

Killers of the Flower Moon is in cinemas now. Check out our other coverage below:

• Killers of the Flower Moon review: Scorsese has done it again
• How Midsommar inspired Killers of the Flower Moon
• Killers of the Flower Moon cast: All actors & characters
• When is Killers of the Flower Moon on streaming?
• Killers of the Flower Moon ending explained
• Is Killers of the Flower Moon a true story?