Where to begin with Shutter Island? Well, I had been excited about this movie ever since seeing the trailer for it, before Inglourious Basterds I think. I guess I shouldn't really judge movies by their trailers though as seen in my favorite movies post. I had been checking up on this movie with interest only to see that it had only earned a 68% on Rotten Tomatoes. Even worse, I watched At the Movies today and both said to skip it. How could this be? I have seen a few Scorsese films. Not the certified classics like Taxi Driver or Raging Bull (their on my list), but I found Goodfellas entertaining and thought the Departed was awesome. How did he screw this one up?
Well, in short, he didn't. He really, really didn't. In fact, this movie was awesome. Like, really really awesome.
In case you are in the dark, Shutter Island follows a U.S. Marshall in 1954 sent to investigate the disappearance of a prisoner from the mental facility on Shutter Island. It's not as easy as it sounds since security is very tight and the management is not very helpful in his investigation. That's not to say he's the perfect guy by any means. He served in WWII and was part of a group that liberated a concentration camp. The memories still haunt him. The movie is about an investigation so for that I won't reveal much else about the plot. I won't spoil this movie because it's a movie you need to see.
As you may have guessed, the movie is very creepy. The mental patients are all really well played. They are just some lunatics jumping around screaming, but simply people who are functioning how they believe they should based on their perception of reality.
The whole film has this aura of eerie mystery. They don't waste any time either. A few titles pop up and then BAM, we're on the boat and then a few minutes later BAM, we're off the boat on the island and dramatic music is playing to set the mood. That's not to say the music is overbearing. There are times when things are silent and I could feel everybody in the theater just holding their breath. At times, the tension was almost unbearable. There were also several quite disturbing images that were practically horror filmish to me. This is by no means just some episode of Law and Order on a field trip. I rarely see horror films, but this movie did manage to creep me out.
The movie is just a roller coaster that thankfully has an ending that lives up to the rest of the ride. It's one of the most satisfying endings I've seen in a while. This movie won't be loved by everyone, no movie will. But if the trailer intrigued you, this review peaked your interest, or you are just a fan of the genre, I highly recommend you check it out.
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