We follow U.S.
Marshal Teddy Daniels (Scorsese's "New Deniro", Leonardo DiCaprio) and
his new partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) as they set sail through a fog
covered ocean towards the eery Shutter Island in order to investigate the disappearance
of a multiple murderess from a locked room within the impenetrable
Hospital. As is often the case, not is
all what it seems on an island full of dangerous loons, and when a hurricane
begins to bear down on Ashecliffe Hospital the investigation beings to move rapidly. Yet as the storm escalates, so does the level of suspicion,
unsolved mysteries and dark conspiracies. As
any child of the 1990s will tell you, when it comes to creepy tales
with a twist there is simply nothing better than a good old fashioned R.L. Stine Goosebumps book. Even
the dodgy TV versions were like a
macabre catnip to kids... but you would hardly say they were "Worthy of
the Hollywood treatment". They were pulpy fun, campfire tales. It appears legendary film maker Martin Scorsese didn't recieve that memo, because Shutter Island could quite happily sit on the shelf either side of the embossed book covers of The Horror At Camp Jellyjam or A Night In Terror Tower. That's not to say there isn't much to like about Shutter Island. In fact, the level of
intensity Martin Scorsese manages to achieve for the majority of the film is utterly
superb. Scorsese's obvious nods of the hat to the classic detective films of cinema's past (Shutter Island
could work just as well, if not better, had it been shot in grainy
black and white) adds to the the films other-wordly charm, disarming
the audience subconciously as you try and concentrate on the
mind-bending antics unfolding in front of you. The
big "Reveal" may not surprise too many (most will latch on about 10
minutes in, but assume "There is no way Martin Scorsese would make it
that easy") and is certain to leave most feeling cheated, but having
pondered the film a week on from the re-watching it - perhaps that's the
idea : to keep you second guessing, to make you follow the
red-herrings, to leave you in awe of the execution of the various
elements of the film itself. DiCaprio does his best (despite the manboy face), while Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley and Jackie Earle Haley are near flawless with their displays of varying levels of charm and downright nuttiness. Many
have suggested that Shutter Island is Scorsese's worst film in years -
and to an extent, that is true, this ain't no Oscar winner - but as an
ode to old school genre detective films (with a dash of David Lynch)
Scorsese has delivered quite a tasty and fun little B-Grade popcorn
flick. Whether that's enough to please the film nerds of the world... well that's another issue. Even
on a bad day, Martin Scorsese could easily wipe the floor with the
majority of modern day film makers - in fact, he could quite easily
take a few dead-legends to task as well... But even if that is the case, you still don't really want to see him on a bad day - and sadly, at least for most diehard Scorsese fans - Shutter Island is the cinematic equivalent of locking your keys in the car when it's raining. DVD Special Features
There are several different versions of the film floating around
with varying levels of extras and "cool covers". It's always worth
keeping an eye out for the version with the most Special Features, in
particular the extras "Behind The Shutters - From acclaimed novel to
big screen" and the excellent featurette "Into the Lighthouse -
Historic Psycho Therapies of the 1950's".
Well worth adding to your collection!
Conclusion:
Movie 75% Extras: 65%
|
