"Shutter Island"

Rating: 8/10 (19 February 2010)

This film was a traditional Scorsese picture. The cinematography was fantastic, acting excellent, music emotional and direction superb. That being said, I have trouble saying that this film is an instant classic. The technical elements were sound. If I were to go through with a score sheet, "Shutter Island" would receive a perfect 10 in each category, yet something about the film left me wanting more. I don't blame the ambiguous ending. On the contrary, I enjoy an ambiguous ending. ("Gone with the Wind" anyone?) I can't put my finger on what it lacked for me, but I can safely say it was missing that something that I was hoping for. Perhaps, it was the hype that surrounded the movie. Well, say that's what it is...for now.
Onto the positive aspects of the film, the first thing to strike me was the fantastic score Scorsese compiled. Classical music was used sparingly and effectively. Also, the use of silence in this film was remarkable. As Teddy (DiCaprio) is walking through the terrifying halls of the mental hospital, the silence scares the audience more so than the darkness and prison-like cells patients are thrown into.
The cinematography was also fantastic in this film. I loved the switch in color palette between life on Shutter Island and the recesses of Teddy's mind. This plays a huge part in the story line, helping the audience decipher what is real and what is clearly a hallucination though even that can trip you up.
The acting was wonderful. DiCaprio is at his finest. He is believably and charming. You can't help but empathize with his character, no matter what. Ben Kingsley is intellectually terrifying. Though not the same, his performance hearkens to Christoph Waltz in "Inglourious Basterds," Mark Ruffalo is overshadowed in this film but does a nice job. Emily Mortimer is quite convincing as a mental patient and Michelle Williams' depth was a pleasant surprise. I didn't think she'd play quite as large a role as she did.
Scorsese directed. I think that's all I have to say. He is a master. He knows what he wants and how to get it.