Psychological suspense mystery lacking mystery, suspense and psychology

Rating: 1/10 (28 July 2010)

A pair of detectives arrive at a fog-bound island where a dangerous female patient has mysteriously disappeared from her cell in a mental asylum. 'Shutter Island' crudely announces its grandiose delusions as the soundtrack blares the two men are entering a world of mystery and danger. Unfortunately it's also signaling the introduction of a tired collection of generic characters, wasted talent, mundane screen writing and melodramatic directing. The plot's big twist is obvious within the first 15 minutes, after which it plods relentlessly on to the 'surprise' denouement. All suspense having drained away at an early stage - something of a drawback in a suspense film - there's little to hold an audience's interest, so the film stagnates like a bloated whale.
Since artists frequently steal ideas from one another, it shouldn't be a serious problem that the basic concept has been taken from a much earlier German film - only that it has been re-imagined in such a prosaic manner. The core idea is a clever conceit, but it requires subtle handling which seems utterly beyond Scorcese. It's difficult to remember another mystery thriller with Shutter Island's rich production values resulting in such a desperate state of boredom.