Shutter Island

Martin Scorsese is a master of cinema, and he proves it yet again with Shutter Island. Many critics have called this his ode to Hitchcock. Many have said that it is a terrible turn from a formerly great director. I say that it is a near perfect film that had me captivated all the way through and still has me thinking about it a full 24 hours later. This is due entirely to the ambiguity with which the story is crafted and then filmed. Scorsese is a master of cinematic elements and it is clear that he is using what he knows to have fun. One of the most interesting, moving, and simply great scenes I have ever seen is the scene near the beginning of the movie when Detective Teddy Daniels dreams about his wife and there is a lot of fire and water. You will know what I am talking about when you see it. It is mesmerizing. Speaking of fire and water, they are very prevalent symbols throughout the film. Scorsese uses many different effects here, and my favorite in this movie is the cinematography. It is perfect. Stunning visuals and images are captured beautifully on film. Thelma Schoomaker, Scorsese's principal editor works wonders here as well. She splices film so meticulously that the movie just flows exactingly. Every moment lasts just long enough to cast a doubt and then the pace picks up again to keep the viewer in the hands of the director. The score of this movie is not one that I would buy to listen to again and again, but it works perfectly for this film. Scorsese uses music better in this movie than in any movie of his that I have yet seen. You will be sure of nothing after having seen this picture, and that is the beauty of it. Scorsese has created a wild ride. You might figure out what is going on extremely early in the film. That is ok. I figured out the "twist" about 20 minutes into the movie, but what is really going on is a much deeper psychological study of the entire cast, and maybe even the audience itself. The acting is also stellar in this pic. Ben Kingsley give a great turn and Dicaprio is actually the best I have seen him since Titanic. There is no Leo in there; he really is Federal Agent Teddy Daniels. Michelle Williams gives a haunting and perfectly ambiguous performance as his wife. The rest of the cast pull their own weight too. Scorsese has created a movie that will most certainly be nominated for best picture and he might even see another directing nomination come his way. I will also be looking for editing, cinematography, and score nominations from this piece.