Leo. Scorcese. Haunting trailers. Hype and buildup heading into a potential late season release.  Everything was looking great for this movie…last year.  With a push back/delay on it’s release date ’til early this year, this strong picture put itself in the precarious position of being released two months too late for the ’09 Awards season (see my 2009 Film Rankings here), while at the same time being the first big event type film of the 2010 year, though it was not mentioned on this year’s Most Anticipated Films list due to the delay.  All of that mumbo-jumbo aside, Shutter Island lived up to its billing as must see entertainment for me but it will have people questioning whether they feel the same more so than many other movies released this year.

Leo's "Teddy" arrives at the gates of the prison.

Shutter Island is the name of the island US Marshals Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) see as the film opens to a haunting score with their ship approaching the island where the criminally insane are held in prison.  Mass murderers, rapists, criminals of the worst kind are held here for various reasons.  Once you get on the island, the only way out is by ferry.  Think San Francisco’s Alcatraz but more remote and intimidating.  And trust me, Alcatraz is intimidating, I’ve been there and don’t wish to go back.  When the Marshals dock, they give up their guns and thus begins a wicked unspooling of events where they are investigating a missing person.  This potentially dangerous escapee purportedly killed her children years ago and then as Ben Kingsley’s Dr. Cawley (the prison’s superintendent) advises, “it’s like she evaporated straight through the walls.”  Talk about mysterious, without the obvious giveaways found in the classic The Shawshank Redemption.

Throughout the film, Teddy gets deeper and deeper into his investigation and more clues are revealed which lead to more questions.  The entire prison – inmates, staff, cops, doctors – all seem to be involved in one way or another.  Teddy trusts no one, he even starts questioning his best friend Chuck, and is battling his own issues as well.  To tell too much more wouldn’t be prudent.  Various supporting turns are given by Michelle Williams as Teddy’s wife, Jackie Earle Haley (aka Freddy Krueger to be) as a crazy inmate (aren’t they all?), Patricia Clarkson (is she crazy or not?) and the eery Max von Sydow.

The film has various twists and turns but none more shocking than the ending one. This is sure to divide some audiences, but in my mind, if you like the Sixth Sense, then this will sit fine with you.  The film holds elements of David Fincher’s brilliant The Game and Scorcese’s own Cape Fear, along with the previously aforementioned ending.  It’s a cinematic entertainment that provides strong performances, good visuals, and thought provocation worthy of repeat viewings.  I’m eager to see this one again.

Just a regular inmate at "Shutter Island."

Shutter Island stayed with me for a few days after seeing it. That is not something that is easily done.  I do, however, think that the February release date change could hurt it’s awards season chances.  A few days is one thing but nearly a full calendar year is another.  Even having this release in late August would have been beneficial to this date.  But that doesn’t detract from the quality of this film.  If you like Leo, or Scorcese, or thriller films, or any combination thereof – this really is can’t miss entertainment for you.  Highly recommended.

UPDATE: This film has been pushed back to February 19th, 2010.

Like Sergio Leone with westerns or Alfred Hitchcock with thrillers, Martin Scorsese has become synonymous with the crime genre. Such movies like Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Casino and The Departed have easily become the most movies of the genre.  However, it’s unfair to simply label Scorsese with crime movies when he has a proven track record of doing other things like dramas (The Aviator), documentaries (The Last Waltz) and historical epics (Gangs of New York). Easily his best non-crime movie would be Raging Bull, sometimes considered his best overall. I’m glad to see Scorsese change it up yet again, with a thriller called Shutter Island, his first thriller since the remake of Cape Fear in 1991. It actually even borders the horror genre, which would be a first for Scorsese. Shutter Island stars Leonardo DiCaprio making it the fourth time they’ve worked together (like DeNiro before), the others being, Gangs of New York, The Aviator and The Departed. Shutter Island was adapted from a book of the same name, written by Dennis Lehane in 2003.  Lehane’s other work includes the adapted Gone Baby Gone and Mystic River as well as having been a writer for HBOs great “The Wire.”

Ashes, ashes, we all fall DOWN.

Set in 1954, DiCaprio plays Teddy Daniels, a U.S. marshal investigating the vanishing of a patient from a mental hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island, much like Alcatraz.  Joining him is his partner, U.S. marshal Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo, Zodiac). They are looking for an escaped patient named Rachel Soldano (Emily Mortimer, Match Point), who just disappeared a mere 24 hours after they got there.  Helping with the investigation is Dr. John Cawley, (Ben Kingsley, Sexy Beast) the hospital’s administrator and main physician. While searching for Rachel, they get suspicious of what Dr. Cawley is telling them and soon question his story. Before they can start a truthful investigation, the island is struck by a hurricane, which traps the marshals and a cell riot ensues. They now have to deal with their own sanity amongst the insane and find the real truth behind Shutter Island.

The movie will also co-star Michelle Williams (Synecdoche,  New York), Max Von Sydow (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), Jackie Earle Haley (Watchmen), Patricia Clarkson (Pieces of April), Elias Koteas (Shooter) and the Zodiac killer himself, John Carroll Lynch (Zodiac). Martin Scorsese (obviously) directs Shutter Island and works from the adapted screenplay written by Laeta Kalogridis (Pathfinder).

"The better to shoot inmates with, my dear."

This looks sweet and you can count on me seeing it. Scorsese is a legend and is still one the best directors going. I’ll probably enjoy this a little more than normal because it brings the horror element into it. Since his last movie, The Departed, was such a commercial success, I think this should do well having Scorsese’s name on it. Plus, the horror/thriller genre has always been popular with audiences. Lock me down, because I’m ready to visit Shutter Island.

Shutter Island opens October 2^nd.