Shutter Island

Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane, Shutter Island follows U.S. Marshals Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) as they attempt to solve the mystery of a missing patient at a remote mental hospital – with their ongoing efforts inevitably complicated by a whole host of external forces (including less-than-helpful officials, hurricane-type winds, and sadistic prisoners). It’s clear right from the get-go that director Martin Scorsese is looking to emulate the style and tone of an old-school thriller, as the film – which certainly possesses flashes of B-movie brilliance – has been infused with a number of unabashedly over-the-top elements that prove an effective complement to Laeta Kalogridis’ less-than-subtle screenplay. The above-average performances, in tandem with, among other things, Robert Richardson’s stark cinematography and Dante Ferretti’s impressively sinister production design, effectively cultivate an atmosphere of foreboding that is, initially, at least, impossible to resist, although there inevitably reaches a point wherein Scorsese’s expectedly self-indulgent sensibilities hinder one’s efforts at wholeheartedly embracing the increasingly convoluted narrative – with the repetitive midsection, which is devoted to a series of exposition-heavy, one-on-one confrontations between Teddy and the island’s inhabitants, effectively wreaking havoc on the movie’s momentum and dulling its overall impact. The strength of the third act ensures that Shutter Island ends on an admittedly strong note, yet the viewer is ultimately forced to walk away from the proceedings feeling more than a little disappointed – as Scorsese’s refusal to cut out the narrative’s overtly extraneous elements prevents the film from becoming the crackerjack thriller he clearly wants it to be.

**1/2 out of ****

Leave a comment