Shutter Island - Scorsese - Master Technician  
| Shutter Island is a great movie, not in the sense that it’s a classic or a masterpiece, but the fact that accomplishes exactly what is sets out to do. A taut, psychological thriller that delivers on every aspect, as an audience, you couldn’t ask for a better film in this genre. It’s brilliantly acted, tightly written and of course superbly directed. There is so much to like about this movie, and one of its strengths is that it will make you want to see it again and again. It will reward multiple viewings, and shed light on previously unnoticed subtleties. This is Scorsese’s The Shining.
Shutter Island focuses on a U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leo Dicaprio) arriving at an insane asylum to try to solve the case of a patient who has mysteriously disappeared. The more he digs however, the more complicated the labyrinth becomes, and more secrets reveal themselves. Although this is a truly haunting and disturbing film, with a bleak subject matter, I couldn’t peel my eyes away from the screen, as I was reeled into the tangled web of events that was the plot. One of the greatest compliments I can give is that time flew by and before I knew it, the film was over. My attention was successfully held throughout its running time of 2 hours and 20 minutes, and the thought to peek at my watch never crossed my mind.
Some reviews may say that this is “minor” Scorsese and if another director directed the exact same movie, or if another actor was the lead in the movie, it would not be getting good reviews. They will say that it is only getting a pass because of the pedigree of the director and the fact that people love anything he does. I’ll admit to the fact that Scorsese is my favourite director ever, but to me that only increases my expectations of his products. The truth is no other director could direct the movie the way Scorsese did, and no other actor in the lead role could do the same things Dicaprio did, and that’s what makes the film unforgettable.
Scorsese seems to be having fun with this one, and throughout Shutter Island the audience is putty in his hands. He takes you every which way he wants and you go without fighting it. That is how you know you are in the hands of a master. Watch how he uses point of view when filming certain scenes, how he will keep one take and jet back and forth between characters rather than just switching between close-ups. The masterful way in which Scorsese frames the island and the colours he uses, his zoom ins and outs, the opening scene as we come to Shutter Island, and finally the lingering and memorable score. One of my favourite scenes is a tracking shot as we go down a line of soldiers being mercilessly killed in one of the films awe inspiring flashbacks. The dream sequences are also works of arts, but every scene in the film is framed beautifully and is mesmerizing to look at. This is the work of a master technician, of a man who knows film like the back of his hands, and uses every skill he has learned while trying new ones to bring the audience into this world. It’s everything you could want a psychological thriller to be. No Shutter Island is not Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull or even The Departed...but damn if it isn’t one of his most pleasurable and entertaining works.
Leo Dicaprio is quickly becoming the actor of his generation. Although it took me awhile, I finally get why Scorsese thought Dicaprio was the heir to De Niro. He has a certain magnetism and weight to his emotion that very few actors can emanate. His is amazing, and gives a nuanced performance, that is easily one of his best. The supporting actors are absolutely thrilling to watch. Whether its Mark Ruffalo’s subtle and caring role as Dicaprio's partner, Ben Kinsley’s intelligent and logical doctor, Patricia Clarkson’s mysterious and scene stealing patient, Michelle William’s wife who isn’t really there, Emily Mortimer as the missing patient, or Jackie Earle Haley in a creepy but memorable cameo as the patient giving clues to Dicaprio, no one misses a beat. This is a superbly acted film, where everyone is at the peak of their craft.
Although Shutter Island has many twist and turns, they are not what elevate it to such a high calibre of entertainment. I truly believe a problem people have when watching films where there is a surprise twist or turn, are that they base the whole enjoyment of the movie on whether or not they could foresee the surprise. Of course, not knowing every plot turn in a movie makes it a more memorable experience, but being able to guess what a twist or turn may be shouldn’t help nor harm the quality of the movie experience. There are many turns in the film, which successfully keep the audience on their toes. Some events are more predictable then others, however every part of the movie works with the overall theme. Personally, it didn’t matter whether or not I saw a plot turn coming, because I fully enjoyed how the movie got me to that point. I loved being taken on the entertaining ride. This isn’t a Shyamalan film with that “Gotch Ya!” moment that tries to pull the rug from under you. This is a film that builds toward a climax that not only makes sense, but really is the only way the film could end.
Unlike The Usual Suspects or The Sixth Sense, where the whole movie only works based on the ending, Shutter Island’s ending only adds another layer to an otherwise exhilarating experience. Unlike those films, the “final twist” doesn’t take one minute while we are shown scenes from throughout the film as the director says “see how many clues I gave you, doesn’t it all make sense now, don’t you feel stupid for not "figuring it out”, Scorsese trusts the intelligence of the audience and chooses not to have the cliché flash to scenes previously seen. He trusts that the audience has been watching the movie and paying attention, and instead of a 5 minute attention grabbing ending, we have a 20 minutes scene that takes us to a place we knew we were coming to but still floors us with its pace, dialogue and absolute heart wrenching performances from Dicaprio and Kingsley. It’s a brilliant dénouement, and the final scene is one of the more haunting, ambiguous endings you will see.
When someone asks me what is the best film I saw that year compared to what my favourite film of that year is, the answer can differ. The best film is a movie that floored me, that made me feel something and think about it long after I’ve seen it. The best film of the year is the film that I want everyone to see, not necessarily because they will love it, but because it’s such an amazing piece of art it must be seen by as many eyes as possible. My favourite film, on the other hand is the one that I can pop into my DVD player anytime and be absolutely entertained, have a great overall viewing experience, and have no feelings of guilt for loving the film. It may not be the “best” film in the sense that the plot may not be anything original, unique, and meaningful or thought provoking, but usually “My favourite movie of the year” will put a smile on my face. Sometimes these two films coincide and other times they won’t. I know for a fact that Shutter Island will be one of my favourite films of the year, and by the end of the year after a few more viewings, it may also be one of the best. I loved every minute of this “genre” film, this “minor” Scorsese, this “surprise twist” film, because it’s more that all of that. It’s filmmaking at its finest.
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