TheChez.net

by Hydro033

Why did she "shhh" Teddy Daniels? Your guess is as good as mine. I didn't think you would resort to such clichés Scorsese.

Leonardo DiCaprio returns in Shutter Island as Teddy Daniels, a U.S. Marshal, who is sent to investigate a disappearance of a patient at Boston’s Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital. The problem is that Ashecliffe Hospital is no ordinary hospital, it is a hospital for the criminally insane. Ashcliffe houses only the most violent offenders and it is up to Teddy Daniels and his new partner Chuck Aule (played by Mark Ruffalo) to find Rachel Solando, a woman convicted of murdering her three children.

Martin Scorsese returns to the big screens to direct another compelling tale. Once again, he teams up with DiCaprio to bring a serious, star-studded, intelligent drama/mystery/thriller. Although Shutter Island did not live up to Scorsese’s past films, it is still a good film in its own right. The film tried to be a little “eerie” or “paranormal” from the get-go, but failed to construct an ominous atmosphere. It was somewhat disappointing watching the film fail to do what it was trying to accomplish. Although it attempted to be, I didn’t find the film frightening. The musical score actual made me roll my eyes as it was so overly dramatic. The opening scene thundered with a heavy orchestration that just made me crack a smile because of how desperately it wanted to convey a certain ominous tone, but it failed so miserably that I laughed.

The reason why this film is great is not because it had an exceptional storyline, but because it was fundamentally sound. DiCaprio, Ruffalo, and Ben Kingsley (as Dr. Cawley) all performed exceptionally well. DiCaprio is always up to the task, Kingsley was the perfect choice for sophisticated head psychiatrist, and Ruffalo particularly impressed me. Ruffalo played Chuck Aule, a U.S. Marshal and partner of Teddy Daniels. Chuck is the archetypal sidekick detective. He talks like one, walks like one and even says “Boss” like one. I loved every minute of Ruffalo’s performance.

There is not much I can say without ruining the plot of the movie. As you may have heard, there is a major twist in the film. Keep in mind, if you are a regular to the movies, this twist is predictable and should not be so surprising. That is why Shutter Island is not one of Scrosese’s best. Shutter Island is well-made, but rather cliche. I cannot put the blame of Scorsese alone, because the film was based on the novel Dennis Lehane, a novel that I have not read. The film may stick well to its roots and then you can’t blame it for being cliché.

My Cheers: The film was fundamentally sound. DiCaprio impresses yet again, Kingsley and Ruffalo turn in great performances. The plot twist, although cliché and predictable, was integral to the value of the film. The movie was puzzling enough without being overbearing. Shutter Island keeps you anxious like any good drama/mystery/thriller should.

My Jeers: The orchestrated theme of the movie was way too over-the-top. It tried to be more frightening than it actual was. Shutter Island is predictable and cliché to the trained movie-goer. It has been done before and is one Scorsese’s least original films.

Overall: Although it seems that I negatively critiqued the film, it is only because the director, Martin Scorsese, is a legend. His resume clearly displays his ability to produce better films, but I don’t want to say Shutter Island is at all a bad film. It is a great film and must-see for 2010, but I’m just holding Scorsese to high standards. It is a very enjoyable film that has many plot twists and details, but not enough to confuse the hell out of you. I recommend seeing this film instead of wasting your money on garbage like Dear John.

1/5 Chezwicks!