Martin Scorseseís latest film ìShutter Island” has all the elements of a great psychological thriller, from crazy people, to vivid nightmares, to strange twists and turns, and of course, a creepy child. As soon as the film begins and the camera slowly approaches the docks of Shutter Island, then passes through the main gates, itís almost as if you are embarking on a crazy, surreal ride with no chance of turning back.
ìShutter Island” focuses on U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) who, with his partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), is sent to the Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane to track down an escaped patient. The premise and setting are certainly enough to send chills down your back before any of the action even begins.
And let it be known, it does take awhile for the film to gain speed. ìShutter Island” is a constant series of strange overlapping stories, as it shifts between disjointed memories from Teddyís experiences during World War II, to surreal nightmares about his dead wife (Michelle Williams), and then back to the present time. All of these conflicting elements are enough to confuse and disorient the viewer, although that seems to be the point.
As the film progresses, the audience actually seems to be going crazy right along with Teddy. They are left to piece together and make sense of the strange images they are being provided with as a means to figure out the mystery along with Teddy.
It is true that the film drags on at times and relies heavily on the use of drawn out dialogue as to assist in decoding the mystery. However, the stellar performances of the entire cast more than make up for the meandering plot.
Leonardo DiCaprio excels at being a tortured, bewildered Marshal with a dark past. Likewise, Ben Kingsley delivers an excellent performance as Dr. Cawley, the rather shifty man who runs the hospital. The same goes for Max von Sydow who plays the mysterious Dr. Naehring. Everyone, it seems, has reason to be suspected and questioned by the audience, as each seems to be hiding his or her own secrets.
Even though their screen time was quite brief, both Jackie Earle Haley and Patricia Clarkson also provided stirring, scene-stealing performances as well. Anyone who can grab the spotlight from DiCaprio and stick in the minds of viewers after only a five minute period is certainly worthy of the highest praise.
Of course, it should also be pointed out that ìShutter Island” has a great deal more to offer than simply great performances. Although it is dialogue-heavy, there are certainly many jump-out-of-your-seat moments, all of which are more fun if they are unexpected. For that reason, I wonít reveal them here.
The visual elements of the film are indescribably stunning and truly help to enhance the eerie mood of the film. It is small touches like these that help to remind the viewer they arenít just watching some B-movie horror story, but a truly artistic film by an A-list director.
While the film does have its slow points, it will undoubtedly keep you guessing until the end. The twist might be a bit of a letdown at first, but ìShutter Island” does a good job at presenting it in a more interesting and satisfying way than initially expected. This helps add another level of complexity to what otherwise might seem formulaic. And even if the ending leaves you wanting more, the rest of the film should still be able to provide you with all the thrills you need.