Shutter Island

Welcome to another episode of The "D" List.

Today's review is Shutter Island. Directed by Martin Scorsese. Written by Laeta Kalogridis. Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane.

If you read my Cop Out review and trust me, I don't blame you if you didn't. The last line was about my upcoming review of this film and I labeled it as a decent film yet disappointing considering the heavyweights in front and behind the camera. That was my initial feeling walking out of the theater. I thought after a couple of days digesting it my thoughts would change until I saw a TV spot promoting the film with this "great twist" angle and I was brought back to earth.

U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniel played by Leonardo Di Caprio along with his newly assigned partner Chuck Aule played by Mark Ruffalo are sent to Shutter Island. An institution for the criminally insane to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a patient. Teddy's been pushing for an assignment on the island for personal reasons, but before long he wonders whether he hasn't been brought there as part of a twisted plot by hospital doctors whose radical treatments range from unethical to illegal to downright sinister.

The story gets much deeper than that and that's part of the problem with this movie. The script spends so much time trying to keep you off the scent of what happens later that instead of getting that adrenaline infused rush of needing to see the mystery unfold you are dragged into a slowly developing plot that doesn't keep you guessing, it barely keeps you awake. The other issue and this is a big one. If you are paying close attention, you will know the end of the film within the 1st 15-20 minutes.

That's a big time NO NO. I'm not sure why it was written that way but it was a big risk to take and for me they failed. I picked up on the end at the outset and talking with some people that have seen the movie say the same thing. The movie was also way too loooooooooooooooooooong. You could have shaved off close to 30 minutes of unnecessary material and you would have had a much sharper and tighter thriller. That's just a side effect of being a Scorsese movie though. I dare you to find a film in his repertoire that isn't under 2 hrs.

OK. Now on to the good. The cast was superb. You know what you're getting from Leo but the rest of the troops hold their own. Ruffalo, Sir Ben Kingsley as Dr. Cawley and Max Vob Sydow as Dr. Naehring all do their part to keep the story going. The all add something important to the atmosphere of the island which I can tell you now is a place that I would never want to visit.

Now I know that I ragged a lot on the story but at it's core the plot of Shutter Island is very strong and gripping. This isn't a surprise because Dennis Lehane has scribed 2 other books that have been made into wonderful films. You may have heard of them, Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone. I have read both of those books and they are terrific. I can't imagine Shutter Island being any less in the great read department. There was just a little lost in the translation from manuscript to movie script.

On the 5 star scale. Shutter Island gets 2.5 stars. With a "Go See It" recommendation. It probably deserves a 3 but the excessive run time coupled with the failed attempts to confuse me about the ending drop it down a half point. This movie isn't terrible by any means. I just expected more from Marty and the gang.

That's all for today. Up next is Brooklyn's Finest followed by Green Zone.

Until Next Episode......"I'll Save You A Seat!"

"D"