Twisted fun, and Scorsese knows it

Rating: 7/10 (1 January 2011)

This is Scorsese's first real step into the horror genre, or rather a step closer to it, as in reality this isn't so much a horror as it is a psychological thriller. It is based on the book by Dennis Lehane; it tells the story of U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels and his new partner Chuck Aule, assigned to the case of an escaped patient at Boston's Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane. Having arrived, it becomes apparent to Teddy that there is more to this escape than anybody on the island is letting on, and when he is refused access to the hospital records, he becomes convinced there is a conspiracy at work. With a storm cutting communications and transport off the island, the scene is set for a compelling, exciting, and rather mind-bending thriller.
The fourth outing for DiCaprio with Scorsese, and it is clear there is no stopping the wonders they work together. Truth is, this is a B-movie, but it's dressed up as a main feature by the production value, director and cast, which includes a very good Mark Ruffalo and a surprising turn from Max Von Syndow. We get hard-boiled, 50's pulp-style performances, with everybody having a lot of fun in their roles (most notably Ben Kingsley, as the suspicious Dr. Cawley), and an over the top, obtuse soundtrack. The film is self-aware, however, and the nods towards classic Film Noir (there are distinct echoes of the Alan Parker classic with De Niro and Mickey Rourke, 'Angel Heart'), and Hitchcock, are more than obvious. It could be said that if Hitchcock were alive, doing today what he was known for in his time, this is the film he would probably make.
There is a sense with the film that Scorsese picked it up to have some fun, in an area he hasn't really visited, before going back to being a "serious" filmmaker, but the things that make him one of the most important directors of all time are still very much present. His camera language to tell the story remains second to none (and on repeat viewing, it proves to be very clever), and his Hitchcock-style 'trick shots' and some devious editing are nicely shown off. The unexpected moments of humour never interrupt the dark tone of the piece, the tension ratchets up well as the drama unfolds, and the emotional level the film hits is actually quite surprising.
A big thing I would address is the twist to the film, which there is a already a lot of debate over. As previously mentioned, the device itself is one that we aren't unfamiliar with in contemporary cinema, and I did find myself thinking that if you don't at least have a suspicion as to the way it is going to play out by a certain point in the film, then you're really not trying very hard. That said, in watching how Scorsese executes the action, I genuinely got the feeling he already acknowledges this, and so it is no surprise that it is he, not Lehane, who is responsible for the extra spice added to the finale
Though I personally did see it coming, I must say the final act of the film is more elaborate than I would have expected, and what I really like is how its intension seems to be to put the audience in a spin and place you firmly in the character's shoes, which it does successfully. It is also rather impressive how the twist to 'Shutter Island', unlike most which simply turn the story in a direction you didn't expect, really opens up various interpretations on everything you have just seen, meaning the film begs to be watched a second time. Upon repeat viewing, it is clear that it is smarter than you first thought, multi-layered, with imagery and dialogue intricately woven to create a rich design, incorporating not only the story as it stands, but also very subtle commentaries on the treatment of the mentally ill, communism and World War 2. What is great about these things is that they are not over-bearing and don't have to be there if you choose not to look for them.
Is it Scorsese at his best? Certainly not; it's a little baggy and it doesn't carry the "Classic" stamp like 'Goodfellas', 'Taxi Driver' and 'The Aviator', but I would argue that he didn't expect it to. As I say, it still carries many of the technical fingerprints that make it undeniably Scorsese, so treat it as I think he did, a little bit of twisted, exciting fun! Go with it, and you'll thoroughly enjoy yourself