Scorcese strikes again
Martin Scorsese's film "Shutter Island" provides
no certainties. Not in its characters, not in its
narrative, not its point of view, and especially
not in its ending. Instead, it offers a plethora of
possibilities. It is these possibilities that make the
film so complex, so haunting, and such a joy to watch.
The story takes place in 1954 at Shutter Island, a prison of sorts for the criminally insane,
that is located off the coast of Massachusetts. U.S. Marshall, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo
DiCaprio), and his new partner, Chuck (Mark Ruffalo), are called to the island to investigate
the disappearance of a patient named Rachel Solando. It is quickly learned that things are
not as they seem. A major storm is brewing. The guards are on edge. The orderlies are no
help. The inmates stare the two men down. After meeting suspiciously tight lipped doctors
Cawley (Ben Kingsley) and Naehring (Max von Sydow), Teddy realizes something is not
right about the place.
As Dr. Naehring observes, Teddy is a man of violence. He has no sympathy for the
inmates. Dr. Cawley refers to them as patients and Teddy calls them prisoners. Teddy is
prone to migraines, flashbacks, and nightmares. He sometimes dreams of the horrors he
witnessed as a WWII soldier while liberating a Nazi death camp. Sometimes, he dreams
of his dead wife, who was killed in a fire, and pleads to hold her one last time. These
dream sequences are some of the most beautiful and eerie scenes in the film. As the movie
progresses, questions are asked, voices are raised, and secrets are exposed. To delve any
deeper into the plot would be a spoiler to those who have not yet seen the film .
At its core, "Shutter
Island" is comparable to a
haunted house type movie.
Its monsters are not ghosts
or goblins, but real people.
For that reason the film is
that much more scary. It's
a mystery and psychological
thriller. I cannot help
but compare the film to
Stanley Kubrick's "The
Shining." When looking at
Scorsese's filmography as
a whole, "Shutter Island"
is unique much in the
way "The Shining" stands
out in Kubrick's list of
credits. While neither are
the respective directors'
definitive films, they are
triumphs of their genre
nonetheless. Scorsese's best
work is almost too tough to
watch because of its gritty
realism ("Raging Bull,"
"Good Fellas"). "Shutter
Island" is quite the opposite.
Instead of pounding the
audience with reality, it
causes the viewer to doubt
what they are seeing. When is the last time a film made an audience question almost every
scene?
By TOM KLEMICK
STAFF WRITER
GTKSOO2@PSU.EDU
Scorsese is one of our greatest living directors and an avid film historian. His knowledge
of classic film noir obviously influenced the film's tone. He had the cast watch Jacques
Tourneur's "Out of the Past." As the title of that 1947 classic suggests, noir characters
always struggle to cope with events from their past. Teddy is no different. Elements of
Val Lewton and Alfred Hitchcock's work are also evident. Red Herrings and MacGuffms
are numerous. Scenes where Teddy bolts up in bed after a nightmare and climbs the
lighthouse stairs are similar to those in Hitchcock's "Vertigo." For Scorsese, imitation
really is the sincerest form of flattery.
The film sustains its dark, mysterious mood throughout its entire runtime. From the
moment I first saw the island in a magnificent wide shot, the strange, apprehensive feelings '
began to take hold of me. The atmosphere is bleak and gloomy. The sky is almost always
gray. I could practically sense the storm moving in. Cinematographer Robert Richardson
does an amazing job of creating a gothic look and feel for the film. The soundtrack
underscores the film's creepiness. Thunder crashes as the storm rages outside. Heavy
panting echoes through the long, maze-like corridors of Ward C. Robbie Robertson's
THE CAPITAL TIMES
music immediately began to work on me as soon as the lights went down. A single note
on the piano at the right moment gave me goose bumps. Even the silence kept me on
the edge of my seat. Call it ambience, call it tone, call it whatever you want. It is truly
frightening.
DiCaprio brings his A-game, as does the rest of the cast. I have always felt that his
greatest performance came in another Scorsese vehicle, "The Aviator." After seeing him
in "Shutter Island" however, I might have to re-think that. His work in the film's third
act is simply electrifying. I often tell people that Leo is one of the greatest actors of
this generation. His performance here only cements my claim. Ruffalo is excellent as
Teddy's right hand man. Kingsley, with his devilish grin, is extremely effective as the
doctor who never seems to be telling as much as he knows. Take one look at von Sydow's
former SS officer and you'll get why Teddy suspects he is hiding something. Williams'
final exchange with DiCaprio will give you chills. Ted Levine, Patricia Clarkson, Emily
Mortimer and Jackie Earle Haley share just one scene apiece with DiCaprio, and each one
is a high point.
Viewers who pay close attention will be left wondering about a lot of things. How could a
patient escape a locked cell without any outside help? The island is miles from the nearest
land so where could she be hiding? What is the law of fours? Is it just a coincidence that
the man who started the fire that killed Teddy's wife is a patient at the facility? Who's
perspective are we viewing the story through? If it's Teddy's, is his wounded psyche
reliable enough to trust? How many times do we actually see Rachel Solando? Once?
Twice? Maybe more? These questions don't detract from the film, they simply add to its
back on the table. Is Teddy
seeing the same thing? Or Chuck? Or the woman? Neither the film nor the director owes
us any explanation. And therein lies its genius.
And then there is the ending. It will probably divide the audience. Some will be blown
away. Some will be less than surprised. Some will claim they knew it all along. Others
will wonder what really happened. It does not matter anyway. The final act is powerful
and unforgettable But it is not the payoff that makes the movie so intriguing. It is the film
that proceeds it. A movie's ending is only effective if the rest of the picture does its job.
I could not help but smile during the end credits, realizing that I knew almost nothing for
sure. Teddy's last words are cryptic. What have his few days on Shutter Island really done
to him? Is it a wicked twist? Or a twist within a twist? Rod Serling would be proud.
"Shutter Island" is a film that makes a lasting impression by offering its audience
numerous possibilities. Some viewers want to be told exactly what to think. They want
a clear cut story with a definitive beginning, middle and end. They want to know what
happened and at what point and for how long. Sorry, but this is a movie that requires brain
power. Scorsese succeeds in crafting a haunting film that provides no certainties. Except
for one: "Shutter, Island" will continue to work on its audience long after the film fades
to black.
March 3 2010
appeal.
There are implications
about the outcome, but
nothing is confirmed.
Some scenes play tricks
on the eyes. Others make
the audience second guess
what they saw. There are
plenty of "did that really
just happen" moments. The
state of the investigation is
not the only element called
into question. I began
to wonder about Teddy's
state of mind. It requires
multiple viewings to catch
clues that could have been
easily missed the first time
around. I make reference to
a scene in which Teddy and
Chuck are interrogating a
female patient. Chuck
gives the woman a glass
of water. She seems to
raise her empty hand to her
mouth and make a drinking
motion the way a mime
would. But in the next shot
she sets an empty glass