Although Predictable, Nonetheless Just Shy Of Being A Masterpiece

Rating: 8/10 (19 February 2010)

Whenever a Scorsese film comes along, it's something of an event. Always able to entertain while also creating thoughtful film, he has a way of crafting a film that few can mimic. Sure enough, Shutter Island is another of these films. Yes, it's psychological horror is predictable, but this doesn't deter from a great film about the horrors of dementia during a time period when crazy people were thought better left ignored than treated.
This is certainly a different kind of film for Scorsese. While it has the same characterizations we're used to, characters who are products of their environments and must adapt, it also feel like Martin's take on psychological horror. And it works to great degree. There is plenty of suspense and the asylum itself is often times creepy, specifically Ward C. What shines most here is Leo DiCaprio's performance as the troubled Marshall Teddy Daniels. In a lesser actor, this role would have come across as too melodramatic and ridiculous. But here, we have a thoughtful character who comes off as believable. There is a scene at the end that even hits like a brick. While DiCaprio was once merely a teen idol actor showing glimpses of a great actor, this has cemented him as one of today's greatest actors. It might be hard to believe, but he certainly stands out as Teddy, something I can say about very few actors in recent films (Christoph Waltz in Inglorious Basterds being the last one).
Now, the film certainly has its issues. It feels like an old fashioned psychological horror, complete with hallucinations, literal closed doors we know we will eventually see opened, and obvious red herrings. The film doesn't feel very innovative and it even feels like it's taken a step backwards as far as film making goes. The ultimate truth, once it's revealed, also feels pretty obvious. Certainly, anyone who has seen these kinds of horror films will no doubt make a guess as to the truth and be correct. And, at first, it's a disappointment that the answers aren't less obvious. There are also some early issues with the music, as the overbearing score when they enter the compound, while foreshadowing the disturbing things to come, is so powerful it seems silly.
However, the film is saved by the directing primarily, of which Scorsese once again shows why he is a master in Hollywood. The characters in the film are so well crafted and directed, that the message here becomes clear and even the films obvious twists shine in their displays of humanity. This is ultimately a film about the treatment of crazy people. Most would rather see them dead, a testament to the mindset of the time period, while a few would rather try to cure them. And this is what Scorsese does best. He explores the building blocks of our history, delving into areas of society we think we might know, but are ultimately shown anew. And Shutter Island is no different. This is a different take on a subject explored previously, but never like this. Shutter Island is a great film, yes, but it is because of its message, because of its take on its subject that makes it a worthwhile film.