Great Movie

Rating: 8/10 (30 October 2014)

In recent years, movies have been adding psychopaths or mentally unstable people into them. Shutter Island is yet another movie that revolves around that concept. Shutter Island though, is different from the rest. Shutter Island is a movie that will draw the attention of anyone who watches and it is quite possibly one of the best movies in the past ten years. It has everything needed for a great movie. The development of the characters in the movies makes it something special, something unlike any others movie. The actors are first class actors who fit their parts perfectly, and the plot is intriguing and twisted which always makes for a great film. One thing that makes Shutter Island such a great movie is the overall development and story behind the characters in the movie. This is especially true for the main character Edward "Teddy" Daniels, a US marshal, who is played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Teddy Daniels' story is one that continues to grow more and more intriguing throughout the movie. He is met in the opening scenes of the movie, and the viewers are given a slim glance into who he is. As the story continues to unfold, questions about Teddy and his past experiences continue to arise in flashbacks, forcing the viewer to continue watching, anxious to see what comes next. Though the main character, Teddy Daniels, is the most developed of all of the characters in the movie, the supporting characters add an eerie feel to the movie too. The patients in the hospital that are introduced throughout the movie are all, for the most part, strange, creepy characters, but the stories they tell are equally important, as they all begin to tie together and even give subtle hints to the ending of the movie.
The characters in the movie, Shutter Island, make the movie the masterpiece it is. These characters would be nothing though, if not fueled by the right actors. The cast for the film was brilliantly put together. Robert Cargill stated, "The acting here is incredible. DiCaprio and Ruffalo lead a tremendous cast." And he's right; they did indeed lead a great cast. The actors do a great job throughout the movie of fulfilling each of their roles and bringing their character to life. Leonardo, especially, does a great job of portraying the role of a US marshal stricken by grief following the loss of his family, as well as an ex-soldier plagued with the images of World War II. The superb acting makes the characters that more believable to the viewer. Other actors such as Patricia Clarkson, who played the role of "Rachel 2" also, do a great job of adding to the movies story. Even while only holding brief minutes on screen, Patricia's character becomes crucial in the movie's plot when Teddy meets her. She gives Teddy information which in essence serves as the turning point for the whole movie!
The plot of the film is most important in making it as great as it is though. "From the opening shot, Scorsese creates an atmosphere of gloom and uncertainty that permeates the entire film." says Jim Vejvoda. The first scene of the film is of Teddy Daniels and his partner riding to Shutter Island. The foggy mist rising up from the sea and the lack of sunshine peeking out through the clouds creates the eerie feel that continues throughout the rest of the movie. Teddy and his partner's reason for going to Shutter Island is made clear early in the movie. They are going in to help find a patient who escaped from a secured room just a few nights before. It turns out though, someone has alternative reasons for venturing to the island. Teddy is motivated by something deeper than just the missing patient. The man who killed Teddy's wife in an arson is supposedly a patient on Shutter Island, and Teddy wants to find him. Also, as the story progresses, an idea more sinister begins digging deep into Teddy's mind. He becomes increasingly weary of the Island's true intent and its operations. He believes that in the light house just on the edge of the island, doctors are performing Nazi like tests and he swears to expose and "blow the top" off of Shutter Island. These dark aspects of the plot make the movie that much more interesting and eventually leads to an unexpected, twisted ending.
There are tons of movies out there that revolve around creepy things like psychiatric hospitals and crazy patients, but nothing compares in quality to Shutter Island. Shutter Island is a movie worth watching. It's more than just a movie about crazy people in a crazy hospital. Rather, it's a movie with depth, mystery and excitement. It's a movie that contains all of the prized pieces to making a hit movie. It has nicely developed characters, a set of A-list stars, like Leonardo DiCaprio, who bring life into each individual character, and a plot, which is one that is intriguing from beginning all the way to the unsuspected end.