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Shutter Island is a psychological thriller directed by Martin Scorsese and is based on a book of the same name.
The film is set in 1954 and starts off with Teddy Daniels, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) who is both Federal marshals sailing towards Ashecliffe Hospital for the crimally insane on Shutter Island. They are both called there to investigate the disappearance of Rachel Solando, a patient who was locked up for drowning her three children. Not long after they arrive a storm brews up which prevents them from being able to leave for a few days. Teddy uses his time to search for clues and starts to find himself involved in conspiracy theories about the hospital.
There isn’t much else that can be said about the plot without providing spoilers, but the film seems to be dependent on a single major twist. I find this odd considering that the film is over two hours long. The film seems to drop red herrings and try to delay the reveal until the last 25 minutes of the film. There isn’t much of substance that happens to justify the long duration. All this filler is supposed to build up emotional weight to the reveal, but it doesn’t and just seems to drag.
I also believe that the film drops major hints very early in the film and so I found the reveal to be too predictable. I suppose whether you are able to see the ending coming would be a major factor to the enjoyment of the film and this is why I almost groaned at the reveal. After the reveal is made you are filled in on mini twists and red herrings that make sense of what Teddy has gone through.
After the reveal the plot moves on to what will happen to Teddy and ends on a strong conclusion. However, even for such a long film it doesn’t provide enough emotional weight to make you care. The film tries to do so with flash-backs of Teddy’s deeds in the Dachau massacre as a soldier and mistakes that he makes during his life, but I’m not surprised that some were confused by the films conclusion.
Also the twists and reveals are done so with a large amount of explanation for clarity, even though someone who follows the film well enough wouldn’t need it. Some may feel the lengthy explanations can kill the drama that the twists are supposed to bring up.
Martin Scorsese manages to create some atmospheric set pieces and there are some surreal and memorable moments within the film, but ultimately the film is too long and the twist is too predictable to base the whole film on. As the film drags on you will become aware that Martin is trying to misdirect you rather than add to the story and you start to wonder whether most of what you see is irrelevant. Once the twist is revealed you find that the film has mostly been irrelevant and contrived. If the big twist does manage to surprise you, then I could imagine that it would have made up for the long wait.
6/10
The film is set in 1954 and starts off with Teddy Daniels, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) who is both Federal marshals sailing towards Ashecliffe Hospital for the crimally insane on Shutter Island. They are both called there to investigate the disappearance of Rachel Solando, a patient who was locked up for drowning her three children. Not long after they arrive a storm brews up which prevents them from being able to leave for a few days. Teddy uses his time to search for clues and starts to find himself involved in conspiracy theories about the hospital.
There isn’t much else that can be said about the plot without providing spoilers, but the film seems to be dependent on a single major twist. I find this odd considering that the film is over two hours long. The film seems to drop red herrings and try to delay the reveal until the last 25 minutes of the film. There isn’t much of substance that happens to justify the long duration. All this filler is supposed to build up emotional weight to the reveal, but it doesn’t and just seems to drag.
I also believe that the film drops major hints very early in the film and so I found the reveal to be too predictable. I suppose whether you are able to see the ending coming would be a major factor to the enjoyment of the film and this is why I almost groaned at the reveal. After the reveal is made you are filled in on mini twists and red herrings that make sense of what Teddy has gone through.
After the reveal the plot moves on to what will happen to Teddy and ends on a strong conclusion. However, even for such a long film it doesn’t provide enough emotional weight to make you care. The film tries to do so with flash-backs of Teddy’s deeds in the Dachau massacre as a soldier and mistakes that he makes during his life, but I’m not surprised that some were confused by the films conclusion.
Also the twists and reveals are done so with a large amount of explanation for clarity, even though someone who follows the film well enough wouldn’t need it. Some may feel the lengthy explanations can kill the drama that the twists are supposed to bring up.
Martin Scorsese manages to create some atmospheric set pieces and there are some surreal and memorable moments within the film, but ultimately the film is too long and the twist is too predictable to base the whole film on. As the film drags on you will become aware that Martin is trying to misdirect you rather than add to the story and you start to wonder whether most of what you see is irrelevant. Once the twist is revealed you find that the film has mostly been irrelevant and contrived. If the big twist does manage to surprise you, then I could imagine that it would have made up for the long wait.
6/10
McLong wrote:
It's amazing how many people didn't quite understand the major plot turn near the end of the film, even though it was pretty clear what was happening..
I don't know. I think both interpretations are plausible.
It's amazing how many people didn't quite understand the major plot turn near the end of the film, even though it was pretty clear what was happening..
I don't know. I think both interpretations are plausible.
I kind of think that the single plot line/ isolated thread is the downfall of many a potentially good film these days. Unfortunate that many directors appear to deem it necessary to reduce a good story to this level.
Perhaps it is an indication of the kind of audience they expect to be attracting?
Excellent review though..
Perhaps it is an indication of the kind of audience they expect to be attracting?
Excellent review though..
I wasn't blown away by Shutter Island TBH. I thought it relied too heavily on one M.Night Shyamalan style moment which I imagine that most people saw coming a mile off. Still think that it's something of a joke that the great Martin Scorsese has to date won his one and only best directing Oscar for his inferior rehash of the HK classic Infernal Affairs.
Good review though.
Good review though.
It's amazing how many people didn't quite understand the major plot turn near the end of the film, even though it was pretty clear what was happening. [EDIT] To clarify, I mean the 'decision' made near the end of the film.[/EDIT]
On the contrary though, I really enjoyed this film. I might re-watch it at some stage to see if any of the early clues are as obvious as you suggest, as I was completely oblivious to them the first time round.
Good review though. It's a difficult one to write about without ruining the story for everyone.
On the contrary though, I really enjoyed this film. I might re-watch it at some stage to see if any of the early clues are as obvious as you suggest, as I was completely oblivious to them the first time round.
Good review though. It's a difficult one to write about without ruining the story for everyone.
Shutter Island is a psychological thriller directed by Martin Scorsese and is based on a book of the same name.
The film is set in 1954 and starts off with Teddy Daniels, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) who is both Federal marshals sailing towards Ashecliffe Hospital for the crimally insane on Shutter Island. They are both called there to investigate the disappearance of Rachel Solando, a patient who was locked up for drowning her three children. Not long after they arrive a storm brews up which prevents them from being able to leave for a few days. Teddy uses his time to search for clues and starts to find himself involved in conspiracy theories about the hospital.
There isn’t much else that can be said about the plot without providing spoilers, but the film seems to be dependent on a single major twist. I find this odd considering that the film is over two hours long. The film seems to drop red herrings and try to delay the reveal until the last 25 minutes of the film. There isn’t much of substance that happens to justify the long duration. All this filler is supposed to build up emotional weight to the reveal, but it doesn’t and just seems to drag.
I also believe that the film drops major hints very early in the film and so I found the reveal to be too predictable. I suppose whether you are able to see the ending coming would be a major factor to the enjoyment of the film and this is why I almost groaned at the reveal. After the reveal is made you are filled in on mini twists and red herrings that make sense of what Teddy has gone through.
After the reveal the plot moves on to what will happen to Teddy and ends on a strong conclusion. However, even for such a long film it doesn’t provide enough emotional weight to make you care. The film tries to do so with flash-backs of Teddy’s deeds in the Dachau massacre as a soldier and mistakes that he makes during his life, but I’m not surprised that some were confused by the films conclusion.
Also the twists and reveals are done so with a large amount of explanation for clarity, even though someone who follows the film well enough wouldn’t need it. Some may feel the lengthy explanations can kill the drama that the twists are supposed to bring up.
Martin Scorsese manages to create some atmospheric set pieces and there are some surreal and memorable moments within the film, but ultimately the film is too long and the twist is too predictable to base the whole film on. As the film drags on you will become aware that Martin is trying to misdirect you rather than add to the story and you start to wonder whether most of what you see is irrelevant. Once the twist is revealed you find that the film has mostly been irrelevant and contrived. If the big twist does manage to surprise you, then I could imagine that it would have made up for the long wait.
6/10
The film is set in 1954 and starts off with Teddy Daniels, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) who is both Federal marshals sailing towards Ashecliffe Hospital for the crimally insane on Shutter Island. They are both called there to investigate the disappearance of Rachel Solando, a patient who was locked up for drowning her three children. Not long after they arrive a storm brews up which prevents them from being able to leave for a few days. Teddy uses his time to search for clues and starts to find himself involved in conspiracy theories about the hospital.
There isn’t much else that can be said about the plot without providing spoilers, but the film seems to be dependent on a single major twist. I find this odd considering that the film is over two hours long. The film seems to drop red herrings and try to delay the reveal until the last 25 minutes of the film. There isn’t much of substance that happens to justify the long duration. All this filler is supposed to build up emotional weight to the reveal, but it doesn’t and just seems to drag.
I also believe that the film drops major hints very early in the film and so I found the reveal to be too predictable. I suppose whether you are able to see the ending coming would be a major factor to the enjoyment of the film and this is why I almost groaned at the reveal. After the reveal is made you are filled in on mini twists and red herrings that make sense of what Teddy has gone through.
After the reveal the plot moves on to what will happen to Teddy and ends on a strong conclusion. However, even for such a long film it doesn’t provide enough emotional weight to make you care. The film tries to do so with flash-backs of Teddy’s deeds in the Dachau massacre as a soldier and mistakes that he makes during his life, but I’m not surprised that some were confused by the films conclusion.
Also the twists and reveals are done so with a large amount of explanation for clarity, even though someone who follows the film well enough wouldn’t need it. Some may feel the lengthy explanations can kill the drama that the twists are supposed to bring up.
Martin Scorsese manages to create some atmospheric set pieces and there are some surreal and memorable moments within the film, but ultimately the film is too long and the twist is too predictable to base the whole film on. As the film drags on you will become aware that Martin is trying to misdirect you rather than add to the story and you start to wonder whether most of what you see is irrelevant. Once the twist is revealed you find that the film has mostly been irrelevant and contrived. If the big twist does manage to surprise you, then I could imagine that it would have made up for the long wait.
6/10