Shutter Island

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Dylan G Love this movie -- great noir vibes, WWII veterans working as detectives getting drawn into a conspiracy on an isolated island hosting a mental asylum. Real freaky! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/25 Full Review Spike D Painfully meandering and overlong. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/25 Full Review jaylie h Shivers down the Spine: a Review of Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island If you have ever felt the desire to question your own sanity…watch Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island. Based on Dennis Lehane’s Shutter Island and starring none other than Leonardo DiCaprio as Edward "Teddy" Daniels, this alluring 2010s neo-noir psychological thriller demands to be seen. Taking place in the locked down psychiatric ward of Shutter island, U.S Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) are called upon to explore a peculiar case of a missing patient. Weighed down by his own tragic past, Daniels knows there’s more going on than what meets the eye. While Dicaprio's performance is a huge contributor to the gritty ominosity of Shutter Island, it is Scorsese’s utilization of brilliant film techniques that portray his vision exactly as intended. His creative camera angles and unique shots make for a persuasive storytelling method. Tracking shots are used to fabricate a linear path of carnage during scenes of concentration camps while rotating shots down stairwells propels viewers into madness. Additionally, the impact the editing choices have on the film is astronomical. Shots with long durations of screen time make for tense staredowns. Reversed cigarette smoke is cause for lack of control in a never ending loop. The colour grading in Teddy’s dreams saturates the screen with technicolor dread. The looming classical music drives chills into viewers' spines. However, what truly captures the attention of audiences, is Scorsese’s deliberate mise en scene. Moody lighting cast chilling shadows across characters' faces portraying robust feelings of distress in a picturesque manner. Stunningly tragic shots of blood splatter paint the perfect finish on scenes of gore ridden soldiers. Atmospheres of hurricanes paired with the ever falling reminders of Teddy’s past elicits an unmatched feeling of chaos. Martin Scorsese is an auteur on all fronts. The neo-noir style was a phenomenal style choice to capture the discomfort of the inability to trust one's own mental faculties. Similar to David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) and Christopher Nolan’s Memento (2000) the modern take on 1940’s and 50’s American film noir evokes a gruesome cataclysm The nail biting script of this stand-alone film carries audiences through a flux of emotions on all ends of the spectrum. Matched with brilliant pacing, there is not a single moment of boredom. The cliffhanger will not only have you hanging on for dear life, but questioning whether the cliff is actually a cliff or simply a delirium. For those mystery fans who love exploring the darkest depths of the mind and cinephilic lovers of poritat-esque tragedies I would absolutely recommend this film. Shutter Island is a psychological cinematic masterpiece. A mentally unhinged patient, seemingly vanished into thin air and a tangled web of secretive psychologists, Daniels is ensnared in a whirlwind of deception. With heavy tones of guilt, loss and insanity, Shutter Island illustrates a haunting narrative, sure to have viewers asking themselves “what the hell just happened?” Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/20/25 Full Review Blu B All Time Classic. On a fundamental level it's excellent. There are clues all around rewatching it that would go unnoticed to most people just like Psycho or The Sixth Sense which I'm sure this takes some inspiration from. The twist is excellent. I will say if your someone whose seen a ton of thrillers and loves the genre than you probably have a good idea where this is going before halfway in some shape or form but it's so well directed it really doesn't matter. The pacing really stands out too. For over a 2 hours it really doesn't feel like it and flys through. The editing is masterful also weaving between reality and imagination. Scorese's direction is first rate as always too and the setting is very memorable. DiCaprio is the standout amongst an all star cast who do an excellent job. Everyone should give this a try once. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/17/25 Full Review Scott W ts was really really good. i like the twist. i dont condone leonardo dicaprios actions in that whole touching kids thing, but liked th acting Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/06/25 Full Review Kevin P An intense psychological thriller with a fascinating unwinding mystery of the secluded psychiatric treatment island that the detective must unfold, but soon finds out much more horror than he is prepared for. There are some brilliant twists and turns that make you reanalyze the entire movie with a whole new perspective. Although I almost wish the move ended slightly earlier so it could be more vague and up to audience interpretation. But to be fair, they really commit to their final decision on the subject at hand. The performances are great all across the board, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, and Mark Ruffalo. The setting is great with the eerie mysterious island and its imposing psychiatric hospital and the forbidden lighthouse. The dark lighting and the cinematography is superb and gives the film a great spooky atmosphere. The twist reveals might leave some disappointed, but I personally enjoyed it for the most part and found this to be a very engaging psychological thriller from Martin Scorsese. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/05/25 Full Review Read all reviews

Shutter Island

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