Someone Is Missing

Rating: Null/10 (17 August 2010)

Shutter Island is going to be a tough challenge to review without spoiling any of the intricate workings which are at play. If you trawl forums you're likely to find many comments from people saying how they guessed the ending right at the start. This isn't hard, as those same people will have rejected the other twenty theories they had before the films close only focusing on the right one, something I say time and time again, "listing all possibilities of what could happengives a high probability that one of them is correct." Part of the beauty of Shutter Island however isn't in trying to solve the mystery. Rather than try and guess, let the film do its work and the reward will be all the sweeter. A second viewing is a must, with performances going from excellent to outstanding.
The first few minutes will give you a reasonable idea if you'll find the next two hours enjoyable or not. We open with a boat heading through a foggy ocean. Two U.S. Marshall's Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) are travelling to Ashecliffe Hospital, "a high-security federal asylum for the criminally insane," situated on the impossible to escape, Shutter Island. On arrival it is clear that security is tight. They meet up with Dr Cawley (Ben Kingsley) and the German, Dr Naehring (Max von Sydow) who seem to have differing views in patient/prisoner care and treatment. They explain to the Marshall's about the disappearance of a patient Rachael Solando which as Dr Cawley explains "we don't know how she got out of her room. It's as if she evaporated, straight through the walls."
Shutter Island is a well-crafted psychological thriller which is set to some of the most aesthetically-pleasing backdrops to grace our screens. They not only capture the time-period of 1950s cinema but also that of the artistic vision which weaves like a rich tapestry throughout the film. In Teddy's memory of the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp during the war, the soundtrack, blood and paper caught in a storm flying around the room combine expression and feeling both of which enrich the experience.
The ocean bashing against cliffs are taken from a palette that makes us feel as though we're watching a moving painting. The prison itself provides rich colours, whilst maintaining enough mystery and uneasiness for us to watch some of the more disturbing scenes. Having the island painted for us, also allows for some of Teddy's dreams and nightmares to blur into the surroundings, making us not sure if he is still dreaming as a scene changes. The elements of fire and water are heavily used throughout the film to interesting effect.
I wish I could talk more in depth about this film, tough too much information would easily ruin the experience. Shutter Island is by no means the best work form Scorsese, however it shows us that he is still a highly talented director who not only appreciates but obviously has a deep passion for decent cinema. A must-see for anyone annoyed at some of the trash films around at the moment; as Shutter Island is a ray of light for anyone who is a fan of film-noir, 1950s and Hitchcock style and they will thoroughly enjoy this masterpiece.
by MaskedMovieMan http://maskedmovieman.blogspot.com