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Saturday, February 27, 2010
Shutter Island (2010)
Posted on 2:41 PM by Paolo
'Shutter Island' Review
By Paolo Sardinas
There is a scene early on in Shutter Island, the latest from master filmmaker Martin Scorsese, that pans from side to side and features an entire group of Nazi guards being killed. To call the scene jaw-dropping would be an understatement but to call Martin Scorsese just another filmmaker is an understatement. At sixty-seven years old the famed director is still making movies that entertain. His latest, Shutter Island, is a psychological thriller that takes place on, and in, a mental asylum in the middle of the ocean. Its not Scorsese's best work but within another ten years or so, it will more than likely become one of his most underrated films.
The story follows Leonardo DiCaprio (in his fourth outing with Scorsese) playing U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels and his partner Chuck Aule played by Mark Ruffalo. They're sent to investigate the disappearance of Rachel Solondo, a patient who possibly escaped from the mental asylum Ashecliffe Hospital. The two are barricaded in when a hurricane its the island cutting off all connection. The two are trapped between the hospital's warden, played by Ted Levine, and the head administrator Dr. Cawley (Sir Ben Kingsley). His treatments for curing the "insane" are considered revolutionary, don't forget its set in the year 1954. Teddy is plagued and haunted by visions and nightmares of his dead wife, played by Michelle Williams, and the atrocities he witnessed during World War II. All while digging deeper into what really goes on on Shutter Island.
Dennis Lehane's novel, the same author who wrote Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone, is a twisty and turning thriller. But if you love The Twilight Zone, or just know how to use your head every now and then, you should be able to figure out the book's big twist finale by the middle of it, or at least know in which direction its going in. Now that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the ride. The same can be said for the film adaptation. The film starts with an old norish and Hitchcock feel to it which is guided along by the fantastic score. By the middle you should already have a clear sense of what's going on but yet the film holds you in your seat, even though you can more or less surmise whats going to happen next.
I enjoyed the film for its style. Its an atmospheric film which is more chilling and creepy then just outright scary. Scorsese was inspired by director Sam Fuller, the director of Shock Corridor, and it shows. But you can never hold the film's B-movie style against it. The cast that leads this film is the main highlights and keeps the film going even when it starts to lag.
DiCaprio, like any great actor, gets better every time he makes a film. Or at least every time he makes a film with Scorsese. I'm fairly positive DiCaprio can play just about anything he wants and his portrayal of a man disturbed and haunted by events in his life is no different. Since the film, essentially, revolves around the character of Teddy Daniels its important you have a great actor to play him. DiCaprio may not be De Niro but hes one of the better actors around. The rest of the cast in this film is particularly good. Ben Kinglsey, like always, delivers a fine and chilling performance followed by the equally chilling, but fairly absent, Ted Levine. Mark Ruffalo is definitely an underrated actor who always delivers something good and here is no exception. We also get some scenes with Max Von Sydow, Jackie Earl Haley pops up and Emily Mortimer even joins the cast.
Scorsese spends the entire film creating a mood. An atmosphere that no matter how much you may dislike, keeps you totally invested throughout the film's 2 hour and 18 minute running time. While somethings are cliched, the flickering lights being the most obvious, it always manages to keep you focused on the screen and not on your watch. The film's authenticity keeps it afloat even when it bogs down about halfway through and then picks back up during the start of the third act. The cinematography is gorgeous along with the art direction. Scorsese knew the kind of film he wanted to make and in my opinion, he just about succeeded. After making almost fifty films over the past four decades Scorsese proves he's still got it even though Shutter Island is no Raging Bull.
Shutter Island is an atmospheric thriller. Its also Scorsese's most "Hollywood" film since Cape Fear but that doesn't mean its dumb Hollywood. Its a smart thriller that definitely know where its going but does hit a few bumps while getting there. When the story doesn't come through the acting does and makes the ride a whole lot smoother. When compared to the director's previous work it doesn't come close but as its own stand alone film, Shutter Island engrossing, atmospheric, thriller whose ending makes it worth the wait.
Grade: B+
The story follows Leonardo DiCaprio (in his fourth outing with Scorsese) playing U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels and his partner Chuck Aule played by Mark Ruffalo. They're sent to investigate the disappearance of Rachel Solondo, a patient who possibly escaped from the mental asylum Ashecliffe Hospital. The two are barricaded in when a hurricane its the island cutting off all connection. The two are trapped between the hospital's warden, played by Ted Levine, and the head administrator Dr. Cawley (Sir Ben Kingsley). His treatments for curing the "insane" are considered revolutionary, don't forget its set in the year 1954. Teddy is plagued and haunted by visions and nightmares of his dead wife, played by Michelle Williams, and the atrocities he witnessed during World War II. All while digging deeper into what really goes on on Shutter Island.
Dennis Lehane's novel, the same author who wrote Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone, is a twisty and turning thriller. But if you love The Twilight Zone, or just know how to use your head every now and then, you should be able to figure out the book's big twist finale by the middle of it, or at least know in which direction its going in. Now that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the ride. The same can be said for the film adaptation. The film starts with an old norish and Hitchcock feel to it which is guided along by the fantastic score. By the middle you should already have a clear sense of what's going on but yet the film holds you in your seat, even though you can more or less surmise whats going to happen next.
I enjoyed the film for its style. Its an atmospheric film which is more chilling and creepy then just outright scary. Scorsese was inspired by director Sam Fuller, the director of Shock Corridor, and it shows. But you can never hold the film's B-movie style against it. The cast that leads this film is the main highlights and keeps the film going even when it starts to lag.
DiCaprio, like any great actor, gets better every time he makes a film. Or at least every time he makes a film with Scorsese. I'm fairly positive DiCaprio can play just about anything he wants and his portrayal of a man disturbed and haunted by events in his life is no different. Since the film, essentially, revolves around the character of Teddy Daniels its important you have a great actor to play him. DiCaprio may not be De Niro but hes one of the better actors around. The rest of the cast in this film is particularly good. Ben Kinglsey, like always, delivers a fine and chilling performance followed by the equally chilling, but fairly absent, Ted Levine. Mark Ruffalo is definitely an underrated actor who always delivers something good and here is no exception. We also get some scenes with Max Von Sydow, Jackie Earl Haley pops up and Emily Mortimer even joins the cast.
Scorsese spends the entire film creating a mood. An atmosphere that no matter how much you may dislike, keeps you totally invested throughout the film's 2 hour and 18 minute running time. While somethings are cliched, the flickering lights being the most obvious, it always manages to keep you focused on the screen and not on your watch. The film's authenticity keeps it afloat even when it bogs down about halfway through and then picks back up during the start of the third act. The cinematography is gorgeous along with the art direction. Scorsese knew the kind of film he wanted to make and in my opinion, he just about succeeded. After making almost fifty films over the past four decades Scorsese proves he's still got it even though Shutter Island is no Raging Bull.
Shutter Island is an atmospheric thriller. Its also Scorsese's most "Hollywood" film since Cape Fear but that doesn't mean its dumb Hollywood. Its a smart thriller that definitely know where its going but does hit a few bumps while getting there. When the story doesn't come through the acting does and makes the ride a whole lot smoother. When compared to the director's previous work it doesn't come close but as its own stand alone film, Shutter Island engrossing, atmospheric, thriller whose ending makes it worth the wait.
Grade: B+
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