Shutter Island [2010]
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, and Gandhi Ben Kingsley
Mini-cap: Two US Marshals carry out an investigation about a missing woman from a hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island.
Rating: 4 psychiatrists out of 5.
Spoilers: Yes.
The Movie
In short, Shutter Island is a great movie, and one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve seen in a long time. Among all of the hardcore dramas, overdone horror films, and pseudo-detective flicks, this one stands out. The awkward dialogue keeps you questioning, and the attractive and exciting cinematography easily captures your eye.
The acting is great; I’ve never really been a fan of DiCaprio, but I really did enjoy his role in this movie. Kingsley is great as usual, and I liked Ruffalo, although I am not very familiar with him as an actor. As for the plot, it’s not unique, but I have a feel that’s not the point of the movie. Scorsese, the director, fearlessly delivers a thriller, and although Shutter Island isn’t his best movie, it’s still a great film.
The Analysis
Right from the opening intense musical chords to the question, “Who is patient 67?”, you probably have already guessed that something is up. Perhaps the clues near the beginning give it away – the old lady hushing Teddy Daniels to “remain quiet for the roleplay”, to Chuck’s awkward handling of the gun (“I’m a doctor, not a US Marshal!”), to the staff’s awkwardness around Daniels. Besides, Daniels being the 67th patient is clearly the kind of twist you’d expect with these types of movies anyway.
Whether or not you’ve figured out that Daniels is the 67th patient and the whole island is a charades party, you’re still going to enjoy the movie. There will be details that still need to be worked out, questions that need answering, and histories to reveal – so if you’ve already questioned Daniels’ sanity, there will be other plot points that you can take on.
Some people have said that “Shutter Island is a confusing movie!” For a movie of this genre/theme, I thought it was surprisingly straightforward. Maybe it was just me, but I didn’t feel like Scorsese was trying to trick me. The patients and staff’s dialogues seemed scripted, and Dr. Cowley appeared genuine, suggesting that something was up. I wouldn’t be surprised if the director relied more on the audience’s ability to confuse themselves, than to make the movie itself confusing. Perception changes everything, doesn’t it?
Still, however, look up discussion on Shutter Island, and there are people who believe Daniels was sane throughout the whole movie. I would really suggest seeing the movie a second time (although I never got a chance to do so). I, for one, believe Daniels was insane, right up until the last few minutes of the movie. I believe this is the intention of the directors/screenwriters/etc. The movie doesn’t really make sense if Daniels was sane, and makes for a less intriguing movie in my opinion.
Believing Daniels was sane just makes the plot convoluted and evidence more speculative. Sure, the whole roleplay could have been a plot to actually turn a sane Daniels crazy, or the whole island really could’ve just been a government conspiracy, but I somehow doubt this. The themes of guilt, love, reality vs. nonreality, identity, etc., seem irrelevant, or at least downplayed, had Daniels been sane, and the ending line and Daniels’ flashback wouldn’t have been as powerful. Daniels could’ve been sane, sure, but if the movie really was about a man who needed to deal with a intensely traumatic past, it makes for a better movie if he’s insane.
The best part of the movie, in my opinion, is his question to Chuck at the end. When Daniels appears to have regressed the next morning – “So what’s our next move?” he says – you feel your heart sink along with Chuck as he duly responds, “You tell me.” Chuck then signals to Cowley and the guards that the roleplay failed. Daniels then ends the movie with a question: “Which would be worse, to live as a monster or to die as a good man?” He is then taken to be lobotomized, unable to live with what has happened to himself, his wife, and children.
In the end, I really enjoyed this movie, and definitely has replay value. You’d have to be insane to not — forget it. Just enjoy the movie, OK?
