Another quality team-up from Scorsese & DiCaprio

Rating: 8/10 (24 July 2016)

Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island" is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, author of "Mystic River" and "Gone, Baby, Gone", among others. The story revolves around a missing persons case at an isolated hospital for the criminally insane circa 1954.
Leonardo DiCaprio plays Teddy Daniels, a U.S. Marshall sent to investigate the disappearance. However, he has already formulated his own hypothesis about the incident, one that involves secret government testing. The clues steadily accumulate, often creating more questions than answers, all the while ratcheting up the tension until we reach the final, climactic revelation.
DiCaprio does a good job of carrying the film in what develops into a challenging, multi-faceted role. He is given strong support from the likes of Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley and Michelle Williams among several other notables in smaller roles. All in all, a talented ensemble cast.
Scorsese's direction is as sharp as ever and he creates a number of memorable scenes. Frequent collaborator Robbie Robertson (of The Band fame) supervised the music, selecting existing pieces, some of which are quite striking. Multiple Oscar winners Dante Ferretti (production design) & Robert Richardson (cinematography) were also key contributors to the movie's atmosphere & authenticity.
Having watched "Shutter Island" a couple of times now I feel that I have a better appreciation of the film's intricacies. Subtle touches that went unnoticed the first time around now take on new meanings with foreknowledge of the mystery's resolution. I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed by the story's conclusion on my initial viewing but the fact that the movie stands up to repeated viewings is a testament to the quality of its construction. Ultimately, "Shutter Island" certainly deserves to be seen once but I feel that a second viewing is key to experiencing everything that the movie has to offer.