Scorsese and DiCaprio Do It Again

Rating: 8/10 (19 February 2010)

US Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) are dispatched to Shutter Island, a facility that combines mental health treatment and criminal detention. One patient, Rachel Solando, is missing and has slipped through the walls as if through evaporation. Where on the island could she have gone?
DiCaprio and Scorsese are a great team, let's just say that right away. If you've seen "The Aviator", "The Departed" or -- my favorite -- "Gangs of New York", you are aware of the greatness these two can achieve. While I do not feel "Shutter Island" is on par with "Departed" or "Gangs", it can still be counted as a fine film in its own right.
The scenery captures the feel of the 1950s and the dank lonesome feeling that accompanies insane asylums of this period. Much like Arkham Asylum, the very building itself comes off as creepy and disturbing as those it houses. Poorly lit, plenty of stairs and mezzanine, and a feeling of oozing insanity. The inmates here are nasty, not least of which is George Noyce (played by the same man who brought us Rorschach and the upcoming Freddy Krueger).
Michelle Williams, while only seen in dreams and flashbacks, really captures the viewer with her role of Dolores. This is quite possibly her best role yet, overshadowing her work in "Brokeback Mountain". Could we see a Best Supporting Actress nod? I freely admit that tears were brought to my eyes by her performance.
I appreciated how closely the film followed the book by Dennis Lehane (author of "Mystic River"). Unfortunately for those who read it, the twists won't be as shocking, though you might pick up on the clues before your friends do. The film downplays much of the detective aspect, and almost completely removes the code-breaking parts. You could fairly say it has been dumbed-down.
Scorsese, or his screenwriter, have also added in plenty of extra violence to turn this into a bit of an action flick. An extra gun shot here, a needle there, a firing squad sequence... this works well to keep viewers engaged. At the same time, the inclusion of the Dachau flashbacks dragged the pace down, and I think this will not work with some audiences. The biggest complaint I've heard yet was about the film's length.
After seeing what I felt were disappointing previews for "Shutter Island", the film comes out well and on par with the book, a rare event. They use every tool at their disposal to amp up the visuals, and while the final twist may have you recalling other films (it's not the most original), all in all it's a fine piece of cinema. Along with "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus" and "Youth in Revolt", it is one of the best films of 2010 (so far).