Shutter Island
Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio in Shutter Island
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Monday, 08, Mar 2010 12:29
Directed by Martin Scorsese, out March 12th in cinemas, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Sir Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer and Max von Sydow, running time 138 mins.
What's it all about?
US marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) is assigned to investigate the disappearance of a woman from a hospital for the criminally insane - Boston's remote Shutter Island.
He and his partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) quickly find their inquiries frustrated by the unsettling Dr Cawley (Sir Ben Kingsley) who claims to be running the site. Teddy then reveals his actual reason for taking the case as events on the island continue to escalate dramatically out of control. As a vicious hurricane smashes Shutter Island, the suspicious cop starts to doubt everything he sees and hears, ultimately causing him to question even his own sanity.
What the others say
"The plot doesn't so much thicken as curdle with every heebie-jeebie encounter - we've taken a U-turn at the terrific Cape Fear and wound up at Cape Folly." - Daily Telegraph
"Shutter Island is a long slog. The sad thing is that Scorsese could have connected emotionally with Lehane's narrative." - New York magazine
So is it any good?
One question stays with you longer than any other after watching Shutter Island - why? Why did Scorsese make this film? The answer it seems is with the Oscar now finally in the bag, the 'greatest living director' has decided the time is right to start paying homage to all his cinema heroes and create a film that is almost 100 per cent for his own viewing pleasure safe in the knowledge his loyal fans will still flock in their millions to watch it.
That's not to dismiss Shutter Island as a self-indulgent mess though. It is in fact a very intelligent take on the genre filled with suspense and a genuinely thought-provoking narrative. DiCaprio is as good as ever and clearly happy to allow his favourite director to put him through any degree of hell safe in the knowledge that Marty always knows best. Carrying an entire movie now comes naturally to the once floppy-haired Romeo but he receives amble support this time round, in particular Ruffalo who provides the audience's insight into Teddy's chaotic past.
There are scares of sorts as the hurricane hits, with Leo chasing escaped loonies around the island, but it's the emotional tension and nightmare which his character suffers that impresses the most. While the ending disappoints it's only because you wish for one last twist to set the characters in the place you wish they would occupy - a fact that is seriously impressive considering the film runs for almost two hours and 20 minutes.
Ultimately though, Shutter Island is a series of nods and winks to the cinematic greats, with Hitchock's Vertigo and Kubrick's The Shining obvious inspirations. Scorsese stays true to Dennis Lehane's subject matter in principal but has an utter ball in recreating it for the screen, although serious black marks are awarded for his overly intrusive score.
Shutter Island clearly won't be as much of a crowd pleaser as the previous Scorsese/DiCaprio collaborations but it's definitely their most thought-provoking piece and a welcome addition to the thriller scene.
7/10
By Richard James