Shutter Island

DiCaprio again continues his amazing career with yet another great performance in a role that may be his most emotionally challenging yet. Collaborating for the fourth time with the great Martin Scorsese, Leo plays Teddy Daniels, a FBI agent investigating into a missing patient who disappeared from a criminal mental hospital on Shutter Island. The films tone is set right away with an ominous score blasting as DiCaprio and partner Mark Ruffalo approach the island by boat. Once on land we get the feeling that everything may not be what it appears to be as mysterious and strange behaving people from doctors to orderly's give answers and looks that seem to suggest something beyond the ordain. DiCaorio plays a man obsessed with finding out a truth that goes way beyond locating the missing patient. As the search continues he begins to fear for his safety on the island, that is up until the last 30 minutes of the film when he finally is forced to choose his own fate.
The film is definitely inhabiting a fair number of genres from thriller to murder mystery, to horror and to drama. All the while based off a plot that could and probably has been made as a B movie somewhere. Some people would like a director of Scorsese's talent to stick with better material before adapting a book, which is something that I whole heartedly disagree with. Many great films have been adapted from much less than average books. Here though the sets are lush and atmospheric with spooky visuals and the cinematography is so entrancing and moody that you get the feeling that every camera frame is probably a reference or dedication to some other work Scorsese admired and wanted to pay homage to. The entire production is first rate, with an ensemble cast that rivals anything this year.
Many critics it seems to me are way to harsh on Scorsese. The only reason I can think of is because of the simple fact that... he's Martin Scorsese. The man's had such a critically acclaimed career since the early 1970's that many critics expect him to deliver a masterpiece like Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, or Raging Bull every time he steps behind the camera. When in reality that may not happen again, but still the man has consistently put out some of the best films of the last decade; Gangs of New York, The Aviator, and the Departed. If you want you can add Shutter Island to that list as well be my guest.

A-

2010