US Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio – The Departed) has been assigned to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a patient from a remote mental asylum. Shutter Island is renowned for taking in the very worst cases of mental instability and criminal insanity and is governed by a strong force of prison guards under the watchful gaze of Dr. Cawley (Sir. Ben Kingsley – Gandhi) and Dr. Naehring (Max Von Sydow – Flash Gordon). Teddy is joined in his investigation by a new partner, Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo – Blindness) as the two Marshals try to uncover clues to the whereabouts of the missing inmate. One thing becomes very clear to Teddy right from the start, there is something untoward about Shutter Island and he is determined to uncover the truth – even if it means facing his own personal demons along the way.
Shutter Island is an eerie thriller that plays on your mind and asks the viewer to look beyond the obvious. In many respects, Director Martin Scorsese has made his version of an Alfred Hitchcock film here with a tidy and claustrophobic sense of paranoia permeating through to constant dread throughout the film.
The movie is shot beautifully and really manages to convey all the horrors and unsettled creepiness of a mental asylum perfectly. From the rain soaked cliffs down to the dark and dank maze-like corridors of the wards, you never feel safe or comfortable here on Shutter Island. At times you feel like this could be an extension to the Overlook Hotel from The Shining and that’s down to the effective use of light and dark. Scorsese manages to make daylight look grim and depressing all the way through.
Leonardo DiCaprio continues to build on his impressive filmography with yet another powerful performance here. He is fantastic as is Mark Ruffalo who manages to almost steal every scene he is in. Max Von Sydow continues to defy the odds and appears not to have aged over the last 10 years or so. The same goes for national treasure Sir. Ben Kingsley, he does very well as the shadowy Dr. Cawley who seems to have his own agenda to push on Shutter Island. Jackie Earle Haley from Watchmen pops up in a strong cameo role and does brilliantly in conveying the madness and desperation of a man slowly being eaten away by his insanity.
Emily Mortimer has a very small role and she does ok with the limited resources in front of her but Michelle Williams doesn’t impress at all as Dolores, Teddy’s decreased wife. She feels way out of her depth here and doesn’t convince in the role which is a shame. Seeing as it’s such a pivotal character the narrative suffers as a result.
Shutter Island is a well executed and at times wonderfully shot film that will have you guessing throughout. Whilst all the ingredients were there for this to be an instant classic, the plot twist ends up belittling earlier parts of the movie - parts that were well constructed and far more interesting to see play out. Whilst this is a cut above the average thriller-noir, Shutter Island will leave you bewildered and impressed to a certain degree but you will ultimately see it as a missed opportunity.
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