Shutter Island
February 25, 2010
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley
Release Date: February 19, 2010
It’s as if the ending evaporated… straight through the walls
Is it just me, or does it seem like Shutter Island has been a long time coming? For months I’ve been seeing the ominous trailers and TV spots; admittedly, this has only served to inflate my excitement for the movie.
The prospect of a mystery/thriller helmed by none other than the legendary director of Goodfellas, The Departed, and Casino (just to name a few) seemed like it couldn’t miss. Well, I’m here to report that while Shutter Island certainly isn’t a total misfire, it is among the least notable of Mr. Scorsese’s offerings.
If there’s one thing the movie does well—and though it seems like I’m being a “Debbie Downer,” there are a lot of things the movie gets right—it has to be the consistent sense of foreboding that, quite literally, drenches every frame. I say “literally” because Shutter Island (which is situated just off the coast of Massachusetts) is subject to rain showers of every kind. It’s always overcast, and when it’s not it’s either drizzling or coming down in torrents. This, of course, is designed to directly correlate with the turmoil experienced by our protagonist, a US Marshal by the name of Teddy Daniels, but I’ll discuss that in a little more detail below.
The occasion for Teddy’s visit—along with another Marshal by the name of Chuck Aule—is to investigate the disappearance of a woman named Rachel. Rachel is a patient who somehow managed to escape her locked room and slip, undetected, past a convoy of orderlies, nurses, and guards. It’s believed by the senior psychiatrist on the island, Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley), that she’s still in their midst, as there’s no conceivable way that she’d be able to make the 11 mile journey back to the mainland. Whether she’s hiding in a nearby thicket or camped out on one of the sheer cliff faces is unknown, but Cawley is willing to do whatever it takes to assist Teddy and Chuck as they attempt to solve the mystery of the missing resident.
That’s the idea initially, anyway.
As the story progresses, Teddy and Chuck become increasingly suspicious of everyone on the island (especially Cawley), as he refuses to grant them access to crucial files and information that would help them better determine what elements could’ve played a role in Rachel’s disappearance.
In regards to Teddy’s own personal issues, it’s revealed—by way of a series of beautifully shot flashbacks—that Daniels is a World War II veteran who was present at the liberation of a Nazi-run concentration camp. The atrocities he witnessed have had a decidedly negative effect on his temperament, as he’s a recovering alcoholic who’s prone to violent behavior (as a sufficiently creepy Dr. Naehring—played by Max Von Sydow—accurately points out in his “playful” evaluation of Teddy when he first arrives on the island).
Revealing any more about the story might give away some of the “big epiphanies” that occur in the latter half, but suffice it to say that I didn’t like the way the movie ended. I know that’s a little blunt, but, without going into too much detail, I’ll say that it felt extraordinarily cheap (not to mention cliched). It may seem a little unfair to demote an otherwise solid thriller because of my disagreement with the way the whole thing wraps up, but this, coupled with a story that begins to wane because of a bloated runtime, slowly shifts the entire film into an oddly tedious existence. Scorsese usually isn’t one to linger on things solely for the sake of flexing his directorial know-how, but Shutter Island features many scenes that are strangely Kubrik-ian in nature. That is, we’re sometimes subjected to shots that are really able to accomplish their respective goals in no more than 10 seconds, but, for reasons unknown, we’re forced to endure 20 second, 30 second, and even minute-long bouts of artistry that feel like they could’ve been pared down. This is especially true of the dream sequences and flashbacks that occur later in the film. Though mesmerizing, they do nothing more than prolong an ending that comes off as surprisingly flat.
As the pair of 60 year-old women (who weren’t four rows behind me) proved with their ceaseless jawing about the various plot points, Shutter Island is a movie that’s probably best viewed in your living room with a significant other and a bowl of Orville Redenbacher’s. If viewed in this manner, you’ll at least have a chance to discuss the various revelations that occur later in the film. Then, of course, you can make up your own mind about a movie with a strong beginning that’s ultimately undermined by a weak conclusion.
out of 5
–Chris Flowers
Rated R for disturbing violent content, language and some nudity.
Check out a trailer for Shutter Island:
