D.J. Haza presents the next entry in his series of films to watch before you die…
Shutter Island, 2010.
Directed by Martin Scorsese.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle Williams, Ben Kingsley, Max von Sydow, Emily Mortimer and Jackie Earle Haley.
Shutter Island is the 1950s-set psychological thriller from Martin Scorsese that will have you second guessing reality, your perceptions of his characters and the world which he’s created. Based upon the novel of the same name written by Dennis Lehane, the story follows US Marshall Teddy Daniels (Di Caprio) as he heads to a remote island psychiatric facility and hospital for the criminally insane in order to investigate a missing person, but gets much more than he bargained for.
Teddy Daniels is an experienced US Marshall teamed up with a new partner for this case, Chuck (Ruffallo). As the pair land on the mysterious island it immediately becomes clear that something isn’t right and everyone acts suspiciously. The widowed Daniels also has his own ulterior motive, as one of the hospital’s inmates had murdered his wife a few years earlier. As Chuck and Teddy investigate the mysterious disappearance of an inmate they are under the watchful eye of Dr Crawley (Kingsley).
When a hurricane hits the island Teddy sees this as their chance to make a break for it and to investigate the mysterious Ward C. When Teddy and Chuck get separated Teddy runs into several people who offer him theories and conspiracies about the facility and its leaders. Becoming increasingly unnerved by all he is experiencing, Teddy heads to the heavily guarded lighthouse in order to try and find the truth behind the mystery, but what he finds he could have never believed.
Shutter Island is an absolute masterclass in direction as Scorsese leads us one way then another through a series of twists of turns in his story, but suggesting much more with his filmmaking techniques, camera shots and editing. Once the ending has been revealed and the mystery is clear, a second viewing of the film offers up so many clues that are missed the first time around and the majesty of Scorsese’s work becomes awe-inspiring.
Shutter Island is a film you must see before you die and you must see it twice.
D.J. Haza
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Originally published April 23, 2012. Updated April 10, 2018.
