Shutter Island

I try and make it a serious aim to know nothing about a film before I go into it. That includes avoiding all reviews and all trailers. It can be a tricky business at times, but for a film like Shutter Island it paid off in spades. Martin Scorsese’s latest is an adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s well received psychological mind twister. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a US Marshall who, along with his detective partner, investigate the seemingly impossible disappearance of an inmate from a hospital from the criminally insane on the eponymous island. Suffice to say, to even say much more at this point would be to say too much, so lets just concentrate on the director instead. Though his best days are behind him, Scorsese is still one of the greatest film makers of all time and tells this somewhat complex story with all the tricks he has learnt over the years. Close-ups, jump cuts, reverse zooms, tracking shots etc. They are all employed to the full as Scorsese sets an unsettling and ominous mood as DiCaprio goes about his investigation. On the downside though, and a topic of conversation of many of Marty’s films over the years, is the editing. In the past Scorsese has even employed a few mis-edits for his own amusement, but Shutter Island is one of the worst edited films I have ever seen. Though, in a touch of irony, you could say it even compliments the pictures tone and story. Another bad point is the outrageously obtrusive score. It’s far too loud and far too OTT. You’ll be reaching for the earplugs during the opening scene when DiCaprio first enters the hospital. You almost expect the hospital to scream “Get Out!” Amityville style. DiCaprio gives a solid performance and there is decent support all round, especially from Ben Kingsley as the head of the hospital. The ending of the film may split some people, but it definitely will demand repeat viewings. And usually, there’s no greater compliment than that.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
If you go in totally blind you should be in for a decent treat. If you even have an inkling of what’s about to happen you may want to reduce the rating by a mark. Rating: 8/10