Interesting story twists overdone and too long

Rating: 7/10 (24 February 2010)

If you liked Kafka, Identity or Slaughterhouse 5, you will probably dig this movie. This movie starts out with DiCaprio's character going to some nut house island jail to investigate some escaped criminal. People working in the criminally insane jail start to become uncooperative and suspicious. The story is mostly a "what is going on here" after that.
First I will tell you what I liked. I liked the set design, lighting and cinematography. The movie is shot on a island fortress/nut house. There is a wonderful mix of color and lighting for the scenes and the flash back scenes look great also. I liked the top notch actors doing a great job Ben Kinglsey, Max Von Sydow, Jackie Earle Haley, Ted Levine, John Lynch and others. DiCaprio and Ruffalo did OK. Most did a brilliant job of making you not trust them. Things I did not like. I did not like that the movie over stretched to 2 1/2 hours. There are some scenes that go on too long or some that do not fit at all. I did not like the storyline of the second half...it felt kind of thrown together and the ending was weak and inconclusive. I did not like twisting characters roles and not giving any back story.
I liked it...but will not watch it again. Worth Renting