Martin Scorsese At His Most Unrestrained & Unapologetic

Rating: Null/10 (17 January 2020)

Shutter Island happens to be the first Martin Scorsese film that I actually loved. Considered by many to be a departure from his usual forte, this neo-noir psychological thriller isn't rated highly by his most devoted followers but I'd argue that it is right up there with his finest directorial efforts.
An ingeniously structured, intelligently layered & impressively acted genre delight that's dark, delirious & discombobulating, Shutter Island finds Scorsese indulging in unapologetic genre thrills, and also presents Leonardo DiCaprio in outstanding form as he adds yet another spectacular performance to his résumé.
Pervaded with an air of mystery & sense of foreboding, the film effectively builds on its interesting premise, and only gets more gripping, thrilling & suspenseful as plot progresses. Scorsese keeps the plot faithful to its source material while eerie camerawork, tight editing & menacing music keeps the tense aura alive n kicking.
Leading from the front is DiCaprio whose riveting input & magnetic presence only amps our interest & investment in his character's journey. And he's well supported by Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Max von Sydow & Michelle Williams who all chip in with sturdy performances of their own. In short, the entire ensemble delivers and leave nothing to complain about.
Overall, Shutter Island is a smartly directed, cleverly scripted & strongly acted mystery thriller that effortlessly sustains its chilling ambience from start to finish and is highly reminiscent of Hitchcock's thrillers. One of the best films of its year that keeps the viewers guessing at all times and makes fab use of genre elements to keep things taut & exciting, the 4th collaboration between Scorsese & DiCaprio is another quality work.