Shutter Island
 

Before I begin this review, I made a post back in the Upcoming Movies section about this film.

After seeing the film, I can confirm that my initial thoughts were correct.

Did that spoil the film at all? Not really. Here's my review.


After the disappearance of one of the patients on Shutter Island, two Marshalls are assigned to the case and figure out what's going on. The only problem is that the people working there aren't really helping, and weird things start happening.

Scorsese and my favourite genre? Instant win. The film is so masterfully crafted and well shot that it almost feels too good to be a part of this genre. Yet the script and theme fits perfectly. Yes, I knew the ending when they first showed the trailer ages ago, but that did not spoil the intrigue and suspense this film had. There were even a few surprises added on which was nice.

Dicaprio is again, on his game. He pulls out crazy very well. It's not a spoiler that he goes a little crazy while investigating, it's all over the trailers. Added to the cast of characters if Mark Ruffalo, he does his best as the sidekick, Ben Kingsley and Max Von Sydow as eerie doctors , Elias Koteas in creepy make-up in one scene and a scene stealing Jackie Earle Haley.

The film has it's Kubrick feel here and there, but it's Scorsese's stamp on it. It doesn't reach the heights of his previous efforts, but it's still better than 90% of the stuff that's out there. Scorsese knows this genre well enough to know where to pull the strings. The music is a key part in this and the restriction of jump scares shows that this is a well done film that wants to focus more on it's story, than to scare the audience. That being said, the film is not scary, but it does make you feel uneasy at times. When they go to Ward C, you can't help but feel the hair on your neck stand up as they search the halls.

The twist is obvious, but the unravelling of everything is interesting enough to keep your attention. At times I did question myself, but in the end I knew I was right. Scorsese is able to chip away piece by piece the lead character's sanity to make the film work. Some people may feel cheated, others will like it. I found myself liking it, even if some of it is a bit out there.

Shutter Island is one of the better films you'll probably see this year, it's no masterpiece and it tends to be a the long side of the running time, but it works.

Re: Shutter Island
 

You seem to agree with Holden.

I didn't know anything about the movie heading in and I was totally surprised by the unfolding of events.

The movie reminds me a lot of Vertigo, which I know is high praise. I felt disturbed and unsettled during the whole movie and then I was shocked.

Like I said, I knew almost nothing about the movie heading in. If you can, read as little about it before you see it.

The great thing is I get to see a totally new movie next time I watch it.

I highly recommend it. I think it is one of Scorsese's best.

That's true :p

saw it last night definitely top notch film, do not have time for a full write up but the movie delivers on all fronts and will only get better with multiple viewings. will write something full after I see it again next week.

Shutter Island (2010)
 

Movie Review: Shutter Island (2010)

http://www.movie-estate.com/images/39.jpg

If you have no idea what kind of film you’ll be watching when you go and see Shutter Island, you’ll be in for a treat. Set in 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his newly appointed partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) are assigned to investigate the disappearance of a murderess (Emily Mortimer) who escaped from an asylum for the criminally insane on the mysterious Shutter Island. Also starring Ben Kingsley, Max von Sydow, Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson, Jackie Earle Haley, Ted Levine and John Carroll Lynch, Director Martin Scorsese should appeal to more than just his fans with his long awaited Thriller-Mystery hybrid.

As we’re introduced to a boat coming through the fog to the tortured chords of the opening music, it’s apparent what the rest of Shutter Island will be like. Academy Award winning Cimentographer Robert Richardson sets the melancholic and somewhat depressing mood, making sure that that this island radiates a bleak and colourless atmosphere for miles around.

I had confidence in all of the actor’s abilities, and I wasn’t let down. Leonardo DiCaprio’s acting gets increasingly better as the film wears on, and Mark Ruffalo was surprisingly good for what he had to do. Mega-versatile Ben Kingsley was unique as Dr. Crawley, Max von Sydow was perfect for the ageing Dr. Naehring, and Ted Levine played intimidating in his fairly brief appearance as the Warden.

To talk about the plot without revealing any major plot points will be a challenge, but I will do my best. When I first looked at the premise, then compared it to the runtime, I wondered how Scorsese would do it. Well, the trailer doesn’t give a whole lot away. Laeta Kalogridis adapts Dennis Lehane’s novel into a great screenplay, one which translated very well onto the screen. The whole of Lehane’s plot was excellent, and anybody who criticises Shutter Island for being predictable has either read the book or has no idea what they are talking about, because the twist comes as a real shock.

Shutter Island is, I suppose, easy viewing, but requires some level of concentration to take everything in and appreciate the bigger picture. The flashbacks to Teddy fighting in World War II may seem rather pointless, as will his dreams about his deceased wife, but they are both pivotal to the puzzle, which comes together in the final 30 minutes. The 108 minutes before that will rush past.

Martin Scorsese, commonly associated with his beloved Gangster genre, has another go at a Horror/Thriller (although Shutter Island falls more into the latter genre), his last attempt being the 1991 remake of Cape Fear. I could see that Scorsese’s inspiration for Shutter Island was definitely Hitchcock. He uses combinations of sweeping and rotating shots, close ups and, along with Cinematographer Robert Richardson, arouses fear in his use of lighting. Shutter Island only offers a few good scares, instead mostly falling into a habit of building up tension and suspense to get the heart racing.

If you’ve read that Shutter Island is slow, then read the opinions of those who think differently to gather a better understanding. Simply because there isn’t the usual Scorsese profanities and violence throughout, it doesn’t mean that it gets boring in parts. It seems like a lot of time is taken to establish the premise, character relationships, settings and the mood, but all of this is highly interesting as things start to get turned on their heads.

If you are crazy for Scorsese, there is no guarantee that Shutter Island will be your cup of tea, since it’s really an opportunity for him to try a different look. Said look is that of a very well-rounded, complex, multi-layered and rather dim piece of cinema. For many, the best part will be when everything clicks in the brain, but the ending may leave some points to be cleared up and more explanation to be desired, but it’s all about the interpretation.

The more I hear, the less I like. As I've said in its Upcoming thread, I'll see it because it's Scorsese and Di Caprio, but I'm not at all confident. I've got that "If I think it's ok I'll consider myself lucky" feeling about it.

Re: Shutter Island
 

At last I can read the reviews! I've just finished the book so had to wait. Good reviewS US & Sam. I'll be seeing it soon, if only to compare book and film.

Shutter Island (2010)
 

http://manicmoviegoer.files.wordpres....jpg?w=50&h=72

"THIS MOVIE SUCKED!" my brother said. So naturally I asked, "Then why do you insist on watching the Lifetime Network anyway, why not come see Shutter Island with me instead?" After all, it had to be better than "Mother May I Sleep With Danger?" So I raided my piggy bank for the funds required to obtain our theater necessities (sodas and chocolate covered almonds) and off we went.


As it turns out, he hated this movie, too. Then again he thought Legion was a great movie and watches Child's Play daily, thereby rendering his opinion as impotent as I am. I think I'll leave him on the couch from now on, waiting for Sally Struthers to make her comeback. I fear she may.


The trailers had looked promising, as had the one review I read about it, whereby the reviewer had given it an "A" and said that it was the first movie he'd seen in a long time where you don't know the whole deal until the final sentence is spoken. I'll give him that much.


The movie starts out on a ferry when the weather is dark and dreary, and that mood never changes, which I found appropriate since they were headed to investigate an asylum for the criminally insane, although I prefer the term socially awkward. Imagine, it wouldn't seem right if the weather was all sunshine and lollipops, now would it? The asylum is on an island whose access, and exit, can only be obtained by ferry. My red-flag-waving hand was already getting itchy.


I can't in good conscience say a whole lot about this movie, as it is one of those that would totally suck if the twist were given away. But here's what I CAN tell you: I really, really, really enjoy a good egg and cheese omelet.


Teddy (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) are two federal agents sent to an island to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a patient. She seemingly walked through the walls of her cell and slipped past everybody. Her door was locked from the outside because you know, it's rare that they give the criminally insane the option of locking their doors from the inside. The agents' investigation leads them into the darkest depths of the asylum, and the human mind, including Teddy's own. He is tormented by the death of his wife, whose murderer is also in the asylum somewhere, and Teddy also happens to be a recovering alcoholic and a chain smoker. What I'm getting at here is that Teddy has several flaws that I don't suffer from, so in a way, this movie is MY "Feel Good Movie of the Year".


Their guns are taken from them before they are allowed to enter the asylum. At this point I jumped up and waved a big red flag, but apparently these hoity-toity movie stars don't heed the warnings of the common and/or manic moviegoer, and they went in anyway. They are shown Ward A, the one for men; Ward B, the one for women; Ward C, the one reserved for the most violent offenders; and finally Ward D, which may contain either a hilariously huge high chair, OR a brand new living room set.


The movie is filled with twists and turns, discoveries that make you rethink your previous deductions, and lots of shady characters. Like I said, I don't wanna say much more for fear of giving anything away.


On a scale of 1-5, I'm gonna give this movie a 3.5, partly because I'm not sure how I felt about the ending.



Some unsolicited advice for Hollywood: first, don't name your agents Chuck and Teddy. Everyone knows that those are two of the least threatening names around! Chuck Norris would be the exception, and they couldn't send him to the island because we all know that there could be only one outcome: the asylum would surrender and turn into a merry-go-round.


Second, don't use Leonardo DiCaprio as your tough guy. I ain't buying it and they shouldn't be selling it. He still has a baby face no matter his age, so save it for any upcoming Look Who's Talking sequels.


Third, put some better prizes in Ward D. Yes, we would all like to own a huge high chair but... a living room set?


Written by
The Infamous Mr. Wilson

Re: Shutter Island (2010)
 

I just saw this movie and thought it was a really mind-blowing pychololgical thriller. Yeah, the ending is....



I would definately reccomend you watch it!!

Re: Shutter Island (2010)
 

I got your review, but what did you think of it overall?

I know a little about the film. Leonardo DiCaprio is the hero. And the story line is quite ok.

I've watched it. anddddd liked it a lot. games of mind.

I saw this the other week and was a little disappointed. I was hoping for more. It got a little dry with all the flash backs and 'visions'. Sad to say, even a little predictable. I enjoyed Dicaprio's performance, but...meh. Probably won't watch it again.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I'm not sure if the mods will have a problem with this, but here's my review (if so, feel free to delete this post, and I apologize):

http://blog.reelloop.com/8243/review...sland-justins/

Re: Shutter Island
 

Nobody's going to delete that, Justin. Nice review.

I'm tempted to post my brother's new review of Trick 'r Treat over at Cinefantastique.

Shutter Island is the best movie of 2010, so far!

Scorsese delivers yet again another great American classic film.

Re: Shutter Island
 

This is one of the best movie from Quentin Tarantino.I liked it and recommend it for all

Re: Shutter Island
 

Tarantino? What about Scorsese?

Re: Shutter Island
 

good review Justin :)

Re: Shutter Island
 

Yeah I also found the body of the film quite predictable, but still thoroughly enjoyable, particularly the final third. Excellent reviews here, well worth a watch too.

Thank you!

It's an interesting review, Justin. I got a release the other day from some online outfit that tracks movie reviews, and it said reviews of Shutter Island were mixed with less than 50% favorable to it.

The more I hear about Shutter Island, the more I'm sure it would be wasted on me. Your comparision to Vertigo was a red flag, as I've never cared for that film. All I could think of at the end of Vertigo was what a dumb, half-a** way to plot a murder. :) Sorry, that's just the way my mind works. Can't help it.

I just saw this tonight. I absolutely adored it. I read a critic that thought it was overlong; I never felt that in the slightest.

I adored the noir feel and was surprised halfway through when I realized Scorsese was making his Hitchcockian thriller. I hadn't really known much about it going in except what I saw in trailers. It's his homage to Hitch, imo, even down to the "fake" background shots. It was the first thing I noticed when Ruffalo and DiCaprio are on the boat. Later, I'm thinking, "hmmmm... this so reminds me of Hitchcock!" I'm not surprised a lover of film history like Scorsese would choose to do a film like this. Good for him! :D

Scorsese set a wonderful mood. I found the dream sequences and the psychological aspect to it very entertaining.

I came home and looked it up on rottentomatoes. I was really surprised to read so many hated it. I don't get that. One critic did note that "movie geeks" would like it. I wonder if that is why I liked it?

That was a fun evening at the theatre. Glad I finally saw it.

I was amazed 2 days ago, when I finally saw it in theaters.
Finally, great psychological thriller in this decade. Definitely worth a watch!

I liked this a lot more than I thought I would though, once again, knowing that there's a twist was enough for me to guess what the purpose of the film was. :( Actually, I pretty much got it within the first few shots. I still enjoyed it though and thought that, stylistically, it looked great and Scorsese really created a realistic '50's feel' to the film.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I enjoyed it. The trailer made me think it would be spookier than it was, but still suspenseful...ghosts or no.

Finally saw Shutter Island last night. Guessed half of the ending early on but didn't guess the finer points.

I thought it was good -- kept me riveted -- but that Ben Kingsley did far too much 'splainin' toward the end. By then we'd already "got" it and were just waiting for the punch.

Couldn't agree more. I predicted the ending before the trailer was over. I'm not exaggerating. Then again, I'll bet plenty of other MoFos did, too. 15 years ago it would've been a nice little mind-bender, but audiences today are too paranoid about films trying to put one over on them, methinks.

Anyway, very well made, with a nice wrinkle or two, but it just wasn't enough for me.

The campfire scene in Shutter Island really bugged me. That was piss poor camera work, in my opinion.

What bugged me about that scene was how much she knew... if you know what I mean...

Bad camera work, Shutter Island. I'm not putting these two together.

This is one of those movies that is just as enjoyable, or more so, on a 2nd viewing!

I just saw this recently and thought it was great. Dicaprio and Scorsese have done it again. Does anyone know Lehane's novel? Or how closely the screenplay followed the novel?

Re: Shutter Island
 

I really loved it..Leo Dicaprio did a very good job, he did better then i expected and Scorsese always makes weird stories but i always end up loving it and i think Leo and Martin S. have a friendship because Leo was in The Departed and Shutter Island, i loved those both movies very much and i hope Martin S. Keeps making wonderful stories and influential and poetic Movies.

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn...sofnewyork.jpg http://ts1.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn...iator_ver3.jpg http://ts3.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn..._poster_lg.jpg http://ts3.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn...ter-large.jpeg http://ts1.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn...3.preview.jpeg

Very perceptive. Of course Leo has now starred in all four of Scorsese's most recent feature films in the past decade (Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island). He's still got four to go before he catches up with DeNiro as a collaborator, but obviously Scorsese enjoys working with him these days.

^ Leo marks a new outlook for Scorsese's, I would say. GoNY, Aviator, Departed, and SI are all these really by-the-book type scripts. He's not so much innovating today as he's redoing "known" styles extremely well. None of these are his best for that very reason IMO.

Nevertheless I love Shutter Island. I'm impressed at how it got 100% better the second time. It was like watching an entirely new film. All the little details you didn't notice came out strong the second time. I see very little to no flaws with the entire thing. The performances are so perfectly nuanced, especially Mark Ruffalo's. He doesn't just play Teddy's partner. He literally plays Laeddis's psychologist playing Teddy's partner. His face always has these perfect tinges of doubt. The writing is some of the best ever. Each and every line spoken between Teddy and Chuck/Sheehan have double meanings. The cinematography is some of the best ever. It is basically flawless, IMO. The editing is sharp and also flawless.

And I don't think the final exposition between Kingsley and DiCaprio was too long, as some people say. That exchange has got to be one of my favorite ever in recent psychological twist "omg reveals". Remember that Teddy still thinks that everyone's out to get him. It wouldn't have been a quick discussion.

And of course, the music during the dream sequences--notably Cage's "Root of an Unfocus" and Max Richter's "On the Nature of Daylight" during the Holocaust/Dolores scenes... oh my ****ing god... and the closing mash-up between "On the Nature of Daylight" and Dinah Washington's "This Bitter Earth", such a beautiful, beautiful song.

Re: Shutter Island
 

Nice review!

In my opinion this movie was a great mindf***! I guessed the ending a little bit too early (fortunately I wasn't 100% sure if I'm right) but it didn't lower the value of the movie for me. As someone said the dream sequences were awesome and somehow a little creepy. After watching this movie I realised that DiCaprio is getting better all the time (okay I read it from an article but I strongly agreed :D)

Re: Shutter Island
 

Excellent dream sequences. Beautiful little pieces of film those are.

Most people saw the ending coming, but the rewatch is not empty mind you! You catch a lot more details and the nuances of the performances.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I agree the entire film is a treat.. But I don't think I can ever accept the ending..
I think I will give it a second try... But I am sure I will still feel the same way about the ending..

Like I have said earlier, the ending is too common.

Re: Shutter Island
 

Common or "inside-the-lines" is basically what postmodern Scorsese is. I think he's picking hard and tried genres and taking 'em out for a spin. He does a damn find job even if it doesn't blow your mind.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I think Scorsese would direct the ultimate Batman movie..

Re: Shutter Island
 

Interesting. I can see his take on the superhero genre. It'll be the most spic and span, tightest edited, beautiful shot superhero film ever, but still not as exciting as some more messy ones.

Re: Shutter Island
 

After watching Shutter Island, I couldn't help remember Arkham Asylum!!!!...

Maybe he could adapt Arkham Asylum.

Very interesting concept Genesis!

Re: Shutter Island
 

I've never heard of that but it looks too outside of usual genre lines.

He's adapting something that looks kind of "visual". I think it's a novel though.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I have heard of that, I think it was posted here somewhere..
Am really excited about it..

Re: Shutter Island
 

The nice thing about Scorsese is that you KNOW he won't fail.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I am glad he is deviating from his usual style & genres.

Re: Shutter Island
 

Really enjoyed this movie, but short of a catastrophe, that was never in question. Absolutely loved the book and found the movie to be a good enough adaptation. Even though I knew what would happen, I was never bored.

The soundtrack however was very jarring.

Re: Shutter Island
 

honeykid, sometimes i get the urge to slap you.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I absolutely loved Leo's acting in Shutter Island, he did an amazing job. :D

hm. so am i the only person who didn't care that the "twist" wasn't a "twist"? i mean, it wasn't original, and everyone guessed the ending before they saw the movie. but for me, this didn't detract from my enjoyment at all.

i kinda thought that was the point.

Re: Shutter Island
 

Scorsese is not a dumbass.

Twist was not twist.

Twist was not meant to be twist.

Expecting pleasure from a mere twist is an insult to the rest of the film and a fetishization of the twist.

Do the twist.

What a surprise.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I thought the twist was an anti-twist because some of the ideas "planted" could have been implied with the ending making both worlds possible. It's a confusing notion that I don't want to elaborate on though

Either way, Shutter Island seemed to be more of an exposition of a character in the dark, but in more ways than one. It explored this well I thought, and btw there are movies with twists, and then there are twist movies. Everything M. Night does is a twist movie, whereas this and Oldboy would be movies with twists

Re: Shutter Island
 

Yoda's an M. Night-head, so I can see how he'd have high expectations for a twist.

What matters is how consistent the film's twist is with the subject matter and what it says in relation to that subject matter. It's not just a film about Teddy but the state of mental health practices at the time. If you go back and watch the film again, the "role play" aspect really becomes clear. You get to see not only how Teddy reacts but how the entire island is trying to help him realize something. It really is just one huge therapy session, and the whole detective film with WWII flashback shtick is merely a projection of his pathological paranoia. In this way, I think one can argue how much film shapes our perception of reality. It is not just that Teddy was reliving his life, but rather, it was how he relived it in a way consistent with certain genre tropes, as if emulating the reality of film in order to make up for the deficit in his own life, having erased a good portion of that life.

Re: Shutter Island
 

*spoilers included*

The movie stands fairly well as a thriller, and the presentation is top-notch, but the ending is quite tried. I must admit that, as much as I liked it, I was expecting a little more from this Scorsese departure. On another note, I found myself thinking back on this film when watching "Inception" in theaters for the first time. In a way, Nolan's film is a follow up for DiCaprio in that both ultimately focus on his struggle to let go of a wife who died by his hand.

Ohh, what's really going to bake your noodle later on is, would you still have known it was a twist it if nobody said anything? ...

--The Oracle--

Originally Posted by planet news (Post 679415)

Scorsese is not a dumbass.

I totally agree! I love Scorsese as a Director, he rocks! :D

Originally Posted by TheUsualSuspect (Post 679425)

What a surprise.

:laugh: no but it's not only because I love him. He just played the character throughout the movie amazingly, I thought he was very convincing. :D

Re: Shutter Island
 

Noice review

Shutter Island (2010) is SERIOUSLY underrated
 

I'm probably one of the few to make this claim, but I feel that "Shutter Island" is one of Martin Scorcese's greatest films. I was so impressed with everything from the chilling performance of D'Caprio to the eery sound and imagery. There's just something about this movie that really left an impression on me, and it left me clueless as to why it didn't get the recognition it deserved. Perhaps Inception had a hand in it's overshadowing, as it was released around the same time.

I won't spoil anything about the film, so here is a screencap of one of my favorite scenes of all time. Beautifully executed!

http://i49.tinypic.com/2lw2n7l.jpg

Re: Shutter Island (2010) is SERIOUSLY underrated
 

Shutter Island is in my top 100 favorite films. In fact, my second favorite from the director. IMO, it is better than Goodfellas and Ranging Bull.

Re: Shutter Island
 

It's an insanely well made film, but the story is really, really, really predictable.

Really.

So, props to Marty for holding up his end of the bargain and all, but I think his choice of material was lacking here. It's the kind of story that would've blown people's minds in 1996, but was way too telegraphed for modern audiences.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I don't have a problem with the end being a little telegraphed. I mostly ignored that aspect. I fell in love with it because of how brilliantly executed the film was. The set-pieces, the music, the writing, and the acting were all brilliantly executed. I knew from my initial viewing that a twist was coming, but that didn't have much of an effect on the final product.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I can appreciate that to some degree; it's why I still think Shutter Island is good. But a film heavily based around a twist can't usually be great, to me, if it telegraphs that twist. And I guessed the twist from the trailer, of all things.

But sure, it's an exceptionally well-made film. Kinda feels like Scorsese was having fun with it, or doing it on a dare or something. It almost feels like a proof-of-concept of how much you can get just from superior technical ability alone. Sort of a "watch how I make you nervous even though you know what's going to happen." Big on degree of difficulty, even if the difficulty was self-imposed.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I responded to this thread, but I think I may have been posting right as Yoda merged the threads and it got lost.

Shutter Island is an excellent film overall, but I can't agree about the sound. The score I felt was really obtrusive in some scenes and should have been toned down. Other than that I couldn't find much fault with it. I will say though that the story had some shades of Caligari. Not that much of anything is truly original anymore.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I do agree that these twist-movies are getting to be a bit annoying, but that's why I truly appreciated Shutter Island. It didn't lose sight of what makes a film great. M. Night Shyamalan made an entire career out of twist-movies, and only one out of 10+ was a hit. I feel like Scorcese made this movie more about the theme of guilt rather than an "OMG TWIST!". I give Shutter Island an 8/10, which is a score I rarely give out.

Shutter Island is a great movie and one of my favorite, I have to say though I did not see the ending coming at all, I thought Leo Dicaprio was going to kill himself at the end after killling Ben Kingsley... I was wrong. It is in my top 5 Scorsese films but no way do I think it tops Goodfellas.

Both my wife and I consider Martin Scorsese to be our favorite director. However, we both disliked this film and thought it was boring and predictable. Of course it was well made technically. But when I watch a movie, I want to laugh or cry, or be disturbed or excited, or at least be left thinking about it. This film did absolutely nothing for me.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I'd give the film a rating of , it's extremely well made, got great performances and I love the cinematography/feel of the whole thing. I don't think the predictability of it particularly spoiled the film for me either.

Re: Shutter Island
 

This film is pretty underrated imo. It's another great film from Scorsese. I love the films' darkness and sense of paranoia,fear and confusion.

Agreed, it's an excellent suspense film. The detail that was put into the script was fantastic, such as I really enjoyed the ending as well,it made me think about what I would do, and what the real truth is.

Shutter Island
 

Shutter Island, released out on February 2010 and directed by Martin Scorsese, is based on the Dennis Lehane’s novel of the same name.
The leading role belongs to Leonardo Di Caprio (and please, those who didn’t appreciate him in Titanic, don’t be put off by that, it’s an outstanding movie), so is the rest of the cast: we can found great actors like Ben Kingsley or even Mark Ruffalo (Hulk for intimates ;- ) ).

So, concerning the story. It’s a psychological-drama thriller.
The plot takes place in a psychiatric hospital located to an island off the coast of Boston: the mentally deficient patients are very dangerous indeed.
Our main character, the U.S. Marshal Edward "Teddy" Daniels, was sent on the island for investigate about the mysterious disappearance of a patient : Rachel Solando, incarcerated for drowning her three children.
However, during his inquiry, the Marshal will gradually feed doubts against the asylum’s director. He begins believing the medical crew carries out experiments on their patients.
His doubts will be confirmed by Rachel – who has been “found” by some staff – when she explains to the Marshal that she was a psychologist for the asylum, until she discovered, upset, the experiments with psychotropic medication in an attempt to develop mind control techniques.


But appearances are deceptive… and memories devastating.


Now, my opinion: I found this movie very gripping indeed, because it’s only at the very end that we are able to really understand the story.
I’m not saying that all which is before the final denouement is useless: this part of the movie possesses its own coherency.
In fact, you can watch two stories: the first one, where you can make up your own surmises; and the second one, where you understand what it really happened. I think it’s the biggest strength of this movie.
Gripping, full of complex and unexpected rebounds, and even pathetic sometimes, it’s a movie to see.
I hope I bring you round.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I enjoyed Shutter Island a lot. It kept me on the edge of my seat at all times. The last minute was a clever twist, something different from the original book.

Re: Shutter Island
 

I liked the movie alot. Very haunting imagery and excellent atmosphere. Leo was awesome in this role.

One of my tests of a movie with a surprise ending is whether i still like it the second time I see it, knowing how it will end. I think I liked it better the second time. It's my favorite DiCaprio role.

Re: Shutter Island
 

Watched it today.


Pretty good. "Honey, where are the kids?", "They're at school", "It's Saturday", I saw that coming. xD


Also, @Mmmm Donuts (post above) - that's a nice detail. I noticed it at the time but didn't make the link back!


I'd recommend this, sorry for the bump though.