Almost flawless. The work of a genius

Rating: 9/10 (17 January 2011)

Films similar to Shutter Island rely upon the viewer's strict attention because it is important at the end and sometimes it is easy to guess the conclusion of the film before the end. What makes Shutter Island so good is that you know as much as the lead character does and it never feels like we, the viewer are going over old territory that has been used before in films.
This is one of those film where I can name the people involved and you can instantly decide whether you will want to see this. Its directed by Martin Scorsese, the cinematographer is Richard Richardson, edited by Thelma Schoonmaker and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo and Ben Kingsley. Everyone and everything in this film is fantastic.
What some films similar to this try to create but fail to do is atmosphere. Shutter Island is dripping in atmosphere and can become quite disturbing in places, particularly during the flashbacks. To go into detail would spoil the film.
Shutter Island is dark and will not appeal to all because of its content. If you are a fan of Scosese's work or of any of the actors then this is unmissable. The film is brilliant and I look forward to watching it again.