We Have Met The Enemy, And It's......

Rating: 10/10 (2 May 2010)

Let us all raise our glasses & toast Martin Scorsese. For well over fifty years now,he has made a mark for himself as a gifted film maker, film historian & a name in film preservation. Since his early student short films,leading to his first feature film, 'Who's That Knocking At My Door?' (which gave some fame to a then,unknown Harvey Keitel),to his work for Michael Wadleigh's Woodstock,as an assistant camera operator,as well as other projects. Now,he brings us his homage to Alfred Hitchcock in 'Shutter Island'. Shutter Island is about two federal Marshall's,investigating the disappearance of an inmate at a facility for the criminally insane,where the worst mental patients go, just off the coast of Massachusetts. Teddy Daniels,a crackerjack federal marshal,who is just gung ho about his job,has some serious issues of his own (he is a world war 2 veteran,with one too many skeletons in his closet for his own good),tries to crack the case,when he discovers something seriously wrong about the hospital/prison,where he is assigned,when he starts to poke around & makes some discoveries he probably should not have. Martin Scorsese directs from a screenplay written by Laeta Kalogrides (who also acts as one of the executive producers,among others),adapted from the novel by Dennis Lehane. The film's atmospheric cinematography (which goes for a nice touch of expressionism)is by Robert Richardson,with some "right on the money" editing by Thelma Schoonmaker. The cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio,as Teddy Daniels,Mark Ruffalo as his partner,Chuck Aude,Ben Kingsley channels some genuine creepiness as Dr. Cawley,with Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer,Patrica Clarkson,Jackie Eare Haley (currently seen on screen as Freddy Krueger in the recent remake of 'A Nightmare On Elm Street'),and if that wasn't enough...the great Max Von Sydow (known for his work for Ingmar Bergman,among others),as Dr. Naehring. Despite the bad trailer for this film,which makes it look like your basic garden variety horror film,this is a shining example of a suspenseful thriller that one can sink their teeth into (and something Alfred Hitchcock would have approved of). Rated 'R' by the MPAA,for strong language & some bloody & disturbing images that could scare (and even scar) very young viewers