Customer Reviews

Shutter Island [DVD]

5 star:		(109)
4 star:		(61)
3 star:		(26)
2 star:		(24)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

After putting this film off due to some form of idea I had gained that It might be a psychological horror film, something which I don't usually get on well with, I finally sat down and watched it, and initially all I can say is Wow, what an absolutely incredible film, not at all scary as I initially thought.

It starts off as being a sort of detective film, as written on the back of the box. Trying to avoid any spoilers, the film takes many unexpected turns with the final outcome being one of the best I've ever seen.

This is an amazing film, with the only complaint being that in my opinion it wasn't dark enough (I know, slightly different to what I went into the film thinking) but It felt like it could be a lot more visually dark, to match the dark undertones which the film follows, earning it a solid 9/10 from me. A must buy.

This film reminds me in a way of the 2003 film with John Cusack , Identity , as what at first seems real & sucks you in, is not what you think it is come the end. I dont want to say anymore than that about the story really, as it may give too much away & spoil it. Anyway, the film was very entertaining overall, although it could had done with being 30 minutes or so shorter imo, it was like 2 1/2 hours long which seemed a bit too much, but these stories tend to be complex & long winded in this case to get across, i guess.

This is very much a slow burning film i would say, where there isnt all that much action going on & a good portion of the film is based around flashbacks. So the ability of the actors, mainly Dicaprio, is what this film rides on, and Dicaprio did a great job in all honesty, carrying the film. Personaly by the end i thought it was a decent film, and it did make you wonder what the real truth was come the end & if indeed it was THE truth. If you want a break from action films, and just want to curl up in the dark with some Chinese take away one evening, you cant go wrong with this really. Worth a watch.

The central character is labouring under a fundamental delusion, one that will change the way the viewer sees both the character and the plot, and in fairness, this delusion is resolved gradually and masterfully. Despite this, even before I had worked out for sure what was really going on, I considered getting an early night instead. I wish I had, and here's why.

Despite excellent acting and direction, I found the movie unsatisfying. The viewer is fed the central character's same delusion as "reality" from the outset, with a view to being let in on the truth as the movie progresses. This leaves me, personally, with a feeling that I've been taken for a ride. Not the worst ride I've ever been taken on, but one that reminds me of Stephen King's assertion that an author should not intrude on the plot. I feel that in creating a false reality for the viewer, the writer intrudes, cheating us by laying out red herrings to maintain interest and mystery. In doing this, they conned me out of my early night.

There are very definite, though not immediately obvious, parallels between "Shutter Island" and Martin Scorsese's much earlier work The King Of Comedy [1982] [DVD]. I don't want to go into to much detail on this point - lest I spoil the film for those who haven't seen it - but for now, let's just say that Scorsese is a master of blurring the lines between fantasy and reality in the minds of some of his characters. Disappointingly though, "Shutter Island" lacks the ambiguity of KoC since, by contrast the ending is, pretty much, a full stop.

Not a perfect film (there are a few minor holes in the plot - some of which could have been quite easily plugged) but still, a very well constructed one. The casting of the two main roles could perhaps have been more inventive - instead the supporting actors Ben Kingsley, Max von Sydow and Ted Levine (as "The Warden") steal the show.

The cinematography and special effects are, arguably, derivative of Kubrick's The Shining [Blu-ray] [1980] - although personally I would say that Scorsese's technique here pays tribute to, and builds upon, Kubrick's technique as opposed to merely ripping it off. The horror/gothic aspect works perfectly (although only a 15 rating). There is a genuine inescapable queasiness, nightmarish feel to the film, without the director ever having to resort to the gratuitous sensationalism of (far too many) lesser horror films. This is coupled with a pervading sense of sadness and isolation - ultimately the central theme.

Best of all is the soundtrack - which is a 10/10 for me and has probably in itself bumped up my rating by at least half a star. It is easily on a par with Peter Gabriel's score for (yet another Scorsese picture) The Last Temptation of Christ [DVD]. It just fits perfectly without trying to impress (which it does) or intrude (Mr Tarantino?)

The Blu Ray print is excellent too (on my, by modern standards, very modest 26" TV).

Definitely an ideal first Blu Ray purchase (which, for me, this was).

I don't make a habit of watching Leonardo DiCaprio films, but the premise of Shutter Island intrigued me. It looked like a dark and moody thriller, and that's exactly what it turned out to be. Setting the story in the 1950s grants the film a strong film noir quality that works hand in hand with the gritty cinematography to produce an atmosphere that mirrors the psychological darkness hanging over the entire story. This is a place with more than a few similarities to Alcatraz, and much of the story takes place during hurricane-like conditions that only intensify the lonely desperation of a place completely cut off from the normal world.

DiCaprio plays Teddy Daniels, a U.S. marshal who goes to Boston Harbor's Shutter Island to investigate the disappearance of a patient from Ashecliffe Hospital. Rachel Solando is no ordinary patient, and Ashecliffe is no ordinary hospital. Shutter Island, you see, is home to the criminally insane, the kind of people that society and the system - but not Drs. Cawley (Ben Kingsley) and Naehring (Max Von Sydow) - have given up on. They are on the cutting edge of psychiatric medicine and are attempting to rehabilitate the likes of Rachel, who bought her ticket there by drowning her three kids in the lake behind her home. The case is not an easy one for Daniels. He's working with a brand new partner in Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), the docs aren't all that generous in terms of sharing data on the patients and staff members, and it looks very much as if Rachel Solando simply disappeared into thin air. Daniels also harbors some psychological demons inside his own head - his disturbing memories from the liberation of Dachau and the death of his young wife. He also has an ulterior motive for being there, as he has reason to believe the man responsible for his wife's death is there on the island. Additionally, his research into Ashecliffe makes him suspect that the good doctors there are actually up to no good at all, conducting the kinds of research and tests that the Nazis pioneered during the Third Reich.

The plot takes a number of unsettling twists and turns, as Scorsese brilliantly manipulates the audience in a number of mesmerizing ways, constructing a psychological labyrinth of sudden dead ends and hidden chambers. Every time you think you have the story figured out, it twists away from you in a new direction. You're routinely left wondering what is real and what is imagined throughout the film's 138 minute runtime. It takes a great script, a great director, and a great actor to make a film like this work, and Shutter Island is blessed with all of the above. Leo's not one of my favorites, but I do concede the fact that he is a talented actor. Brilliantly conceived and executed, Shutter Island is a thinking man's suspense thriller that leaves certain aspects of the story open to interpretation even after the final truth is revealed. As such, it is one of those rare films that prove just as fascinating the second time through as it was the first.

I watched this in the cinema not expecting much, But I was so pleasantly surprised, by the whole film. It sucked me in from the very beginning all the way to the end.

The acting was amazing, as well as the storyline. I cant praise this film enough, In my personal opinion, its one of decaprio's best.

Im not a big fan of twists in films, but this one I liked alot. It doesnt leave you disapointed at all.

You will enjoy Im sure.

One of the greatest film makers, Martin Scorsese, is back with another thought-provoking and fully atmospheric drama. Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, Max Von Sydow and the other cast members turn in great and believeable performances. The plot is never too predictable and keeps you guessing all the way to the end. This movie is certainly not 'easy-viewing' and at times it may take a little patience to stick with the film to the end. If you do, you should find this film to be intelligent and well thought out.

Decent movie.

Hmm... interesting film. Firstly, it isn't scary although there are a couple of good `jumps'; it is more of a darkly psychological mystery. Without giving too much away, it is also annoyingly reminiscent of another film in the placing of `clues' (a bit like the `red' thing in Sixth Sense) and the little deliberate continuity slips are a dead give-away. We guessed what was going on after the first 35 minutes, but the film is so well crafted and artfully directed that even after we had guessed, we were still not entirely sure that we were right until near the very end.

The atmosphere is great; lots of film-noir camera angles, suitably creepy setting and excellently acted. It is definitely a film to re-watch (again, like Sixth Sense) as I'm sure we will continue to spot the more subtle clues we missed on the first viewing. All-in-all, an unusual, interesting, strange and entertaining film.

Yet again another good film from Leonardo. The story line is very convincing and even after watching it a couple of times you still notice different events unfolding.

The film was a pleasant surprise, I'm not a fan of leonardo dicaprio in the slightest but his portrayal of the character in this movie was first class. I found the story gripping and ben kingsley a delight to watch. the scene with the children in the lake I found disturbing BUT Leonardo's acting really sold it to me! I advise anyone who likes a solid story with a solid cast to get this film. I loved it!!!!