Shutter Island

Rating: 10/10 (3 April 2016)

Shutter Island is an atmospheric and chilling adaption of the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. US investigators Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Ruffalo) travel to an asylum on an island to investigate the disappearance of a patient convicted of murdering her children. A storm leaves them trapped there, and their suspicions grow over the institution and its intimidating chief, Dr. Cawley (Kingsley).
Despite running to well over two hours, it's a truly absorbing experience. The tense direction holds your attention, as do the converging mysteries. Alongside the "present" (1954) threat in the Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, Teddy has migraine-induced flashbacks to his murdered wife (Williams) and his role in the Dachau liberation reprisals.
In a terrifying game of cat and mouse, Scorsese directs brilliantly the claustrophobic action, with Max von Sydow as a terrifying sidekick to Dr. Cawley.
The story is as ingenious as it is heartbreaking. A fantastic two hours of tension that will haunt you for days.