A great thriller

Rating: 9/10 (19 March 2010)

Martin Scorcese's movies have always placed character above plot. Lately, however, Scorcese has been leaning towards a reversal of this. That's not to say that his talent for film-making has diminished as a result, far from it in fact (in my opinion, it says more about the decreasing taste for subtlety and serious drama in American cinema and the surge of talentless tabloid gurus, but never mind...). Scorcese is still one of the greatest filmmakers around, even when he's not making a movie that's a part of his forte. And "Shutter Island" is about as far away from a "typical Scorcese film" as you can get.
Federal Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) has been called to investigate the disappearance of a prisoner at Ashecliffe, a mental institution for the country's most dangerous criminals. But once he arrives, he realizes that there might be more to the island than he initially realized...
This doesn't sound like the type of movie Martin Scorcese would make, and it isn't. "Shutter Island" is all story, and it's exceptionally well told. The atmosphere is thick and dark, and there are some scenes that are genuinely creepy. Both in style and content, calling "Shutter Island" a horror film wouldn't be too far off base.
"Shutter Island" has something that no other Scorcese picture has: inventive visuals. I'm not talking about papers falling in a room like snow (although that scene is pretty cool). But just looking at the setting is visually arresting, recalling such films as "Dark City" or "The Crow." The film is top heavy with stars, and all of them are at the top of their game. DiCaprio, Scorcese's latest muse, doesn't have the most challenging part, but he makes it work. We feel for Teddy, and most importantly, we are with him every step of the way (mentally and emotionally). Mark Ruffalo is amiable as his new partner, Chuck Aule. Ben Kinglsey is deliciously creepy as the head of the facility, although not as creepy as Max von Sydow, the mysterious head doctor. Patricia Clarkson, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Elias Koteas and Jackie Earle Haley are in top form in brief, but very important performances.
Dennis Lehane's novels always have a morality question at the heart of their stories, and while the one in "Shutter Island" isn't groundbreaking, it's asked in a compelling way. The same thing applies to the ending; it's been done before, but Scorcese leaves the answer ambiguous (however there are some questions and continuity issues in the film that should be resolved but aren't), and all the while you're asking yourself if you're going to be right about the ending. That's just as good, isn't it?