Based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, Shutter Island is the latest project from Martin Scorsese. A psychological thriller, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Teddy Daniels, a US Marshall who has been assigned the case of a mental patient who has escaped from Ashecliff Hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island. He is joined by his partner Chuck Aule, portrayed by Mark Ruffalo.
The two arrive on Shutter Island in pursuit of Rachel Solando who mysteriously disappeared from her cell without leaving any trace and without anyone noticing she was leaving. As the two carry out their questioning of possible witnesses, it is clear to Teddy that the staff and patients know more than they are letting on. Teddy begins to suspect there is more than meets the eye to Shutter Island. A series of nightmares leave him feeling he, too, has a deeper knowledge of the happenings than his mind can fully grasp. As the movie progresses, the secrets begin to unwind themselves, leading to a storyline twist only the clever will unravel ahead of time.
In this author's opinion, the movie provided plenty of tension without resorting to the cheap scare tactics moviemakers seem so fond of these days. Though the movie ran to slightly over two hours, time did not drag and I found myself on the edge of my seat trying to work out the mystery. While I guessed some of the resolution ahead of time, the twist was such that I was not disappointed by discovering all the movie's secrets too early, but was given the opportunity to feel some of the surprise of other, less mystery-experienced, moviegoers.
This movie contains violence and inappropriate language for minors. It is not recommended for children under 18.
Total Running Time: 138 minutes
Wistfulgirl's Rating: 4 stars
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