Hola all. Massawyrm here.
This is a Martin Scorsese film, which means that no matter what, it is a film worth seeing. Scorsese doesn’t mess around. His films, especially his period pieces, are gritty, atmospheric and well constructed. Even his most pedestrian and mediocre of films (few and far between as they are) are more interesting than your ordinary film, if only for the care taken to make them. And this is no different. Love it or shrug it off, the acting is solid, the cinematography exquisite and the pacing perfect. He’s assembled an incredible cast, all of whom are given quite a bit to work with and created one hell of an interesting, enthralling film.
Set on an island prison, it is a mystery – an inmate has gone missing and due to the violent nature of her crimes, the authorities have called in the US Marshals to track her down and discover just how she managed her way out of a locked room. But as they investigate, they untangle a web of intrigue that might reveal that there are far more sinister things afoot at the Shutter Island facility. It’s a pretty straight forward plot with each new twist and revelation punctuated with an incredible performance. The film’s primary problem is that it isn’t anything radically new. This is a story you’ve mostly seen before. You’ve just never seen it made by a genius like Marty.
And that’s what makes all the difference. Have I seen this story before? Yes, a couple times at least. But have I seen it done better? Never. This is the very best version of this story that there is; a brooding, macabre masterpiece of suspense and psychological warfare perfectly set in the post WWII era. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Teddy Daniels, a top Marshal brought in to find the missing woman. And it’s Leonardo DiCaprio; meaning that even at his most subdued he’s going to give you a riveting performance. He’s teamed with Mark Ruffalo, one of the most underrated actors working today. Always cast as second fiddle to top tier talent like DiCaprio (and Brody and Redford and Foxx and Cruise and Phoenix and Carrey and Witherspoon and…) he never seems to get the credit – or the roles – that he deserves. But here Scorsese gives him something meaty to chew on, the result of which is one of his best, most layered performances yet. As DiCaprio’s partner, he is forced to play against a number of great actors that each seem to be keeping their own secrets from him.
And really, it is the supporting cast that make this film. In the hands of almost any other filmmaker, these supporting roles might go to lesser – possibly even hotter, trending – actors. But Scorsese cast an incredible bevy of Oscar caliber backup that each lends layer upon layer of subtlety to even the most trivial of moments, confronting you directly and forcing you to try and discern the truth for yourself. Ben Kingsley, Patricia Clarkson, Max von Sydow, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Elias Koteas, Ted Levine and Jackie Earle Haley all turn up for sometimes only a single scene – but each nails their scene so powerfully, so definitively, that they are each able to leave a profound impression upon the audience.
Make no mistake about it: this is more an actor’s/director’s film relying on its style and performances than it is a writer’s film relying chiefly upon its surprises to woo you. Sure the twists and turns may surprise some, but sophisticated audiences familiar with this school of storytelling shouldn’t be surprised if they figure it out early. But it won’t matter. The two minutes we spend with a battered, broken Jackie Earl Haley or the jeep ride we take with Ted Levine are what this film is really about. And once everything has revealed itself, the double meanings that have been seeded into every conversation and every weird double take or strained look will be re-examined and reinforce what a carefully crafted thriller this is.
That said, not everyone is going to love SHUTTER ISLAND. As I’ve said, the story doesn’t reinvent the wheel. The twists present in this film aren’t particularly new or startlingly original. There’s a number of great red herrings and new concepts and combinations stitched together to tell this tale, but ultimately people will come to the film’s climax and say “Oh, that’s it? That’s the big mystery?” And it is going to lose some folks. It almost lost me – but the film then finishes with a real heartbreaker – a somewhat ambiguous final note that is a masterstroke, changing your opinion of the film’s protagonist in startling and classic ways. This is the kind of ending we have to go back to 70’s cinema for, a somewhat nihilistic, beautifully realized ethical conundrum that will swallow you whole as your heart sinks into your stomach. If there was ever a question why Scorsese tackled this material, it would appear that it was for this very moment right here. It is not the kind of moment that Oscar’s are made out of – it is the kind of moment that classic films are made of.
And it makes me love this movie more and more as I reflect upon it.
Shutter Island is a brilliant film, a perfectly realized psychological thriller that will continue to astound you with performance after performance. Scorsese fans are going to flip for it, as will most of you. I am very eager to watch this again so I can sit back entrenched in the knowledge of what is really going on while enjoying looking for every twisted phrase and strained word meant to milk a double meaning. A great film, this comes Highly Recommended.
Until next time friends, smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em.
Massawyrm
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