Shutter Island

Let’s jump right in to this one. Scorsese is the top contemporary American auteur. And while people seem to love him most for his crime films, the man has not yet directed a single frame that isn’t impressive. And here we have a film based on a book written by the guy who wrote Mystic River, another crime story. So what happens when you put those two things together and make a horror film? “Shutter Island” happens. This is not the first time that Scorsese has done horror if you count “Cape Fear,” which I do. And he is so adept (fucking obviously!) as a director, I wish he did it more often.

“Shutter Island” is the story of a US marshal investigating a mental hospital. The thing about horror that I have said time and time again is that it isn’t about gore and it isn’t about things popping out at you, its all about atmosphere. And brother let me tell you, if there is one thing “Shutter Island” has its atmosphere. When it starts out it feels like a very old movie. The acting is reminiscent of what you would see in the theater. But very soon it changes into a dark and deeply disturbing movie. It is really truly creepy at points. Scorsese takes a hitchcockian approach to some of his shots which make them stand out. The compositions in this film are stunning. The use of certain pans and jump cuts create a tension that is unyielding. The way the film is cut adds to the unease. The music also enhances the creepy gothic horror atmosphere, often cacophonic and dissonant. Scorsese has a way of bringing out the best in his leading men, and DiCaprio is no different. This film has everything you need for a good horror tale. It’s got a creepy mental hospital, a raging storm, a mystery, and it’s on a crazy island. The film is entirely from the perspective of the main character and I always think its fascinating when you can’t trust your protagonists perceptions.

The movie is long but it doesn’t feel long. And even if the ending is predictable if you stop thinking about the destination and just go on the journey this movie is awesome. This film was pushed back for months and it made me think that it was going to be terrible or they would have just released it. But it turns out they didn’t want to spend the money necessary to market it in Oscar season. It’s a shame really because I think it’s a great film, and hopefully people won’t be deterred from seeing it. There really is a lot to chew on in this film. If I had the space I could write a whole paper on it. But that’s the case with most of Scorsese's films which is why we love him.