"You're as violent as they come. I know. because I'm as violent as they come. Don't embarrass yourself by denying your own blood lust, son. Don't embarrass me. If the constraints of society were removed, and I was all that stood between you and a meal, you'd crack my skull with a rock and eat my meaty parts."
Martin Scorsese is a legendary filmmaker. His career has spanned across five decades, and he has touched almost every genre of film possible during his time directing. 2010's Shutter Island, his latest film, is a dark thriller set in the 1950's in the sea off of Boston. Leonardo Dicaprio plays Teddy, a Federal Marshal who is investigating the disappearance of a patient who escaped from a mental asylum on the movie's namesake. He's accompanied by his new partner, Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) and soon uncovers what he believes might be a conspiracy to turn inmates into mindless killers. He's also tortured by dreams of his dead wife, Dolores (Michelle Williams) who died in a fire a few years before the film takes place.
Plot aside, the reason why Shutter Island is such an enjoyable watch is because of the movie's overall "feel." Scorsese does a fantastic job at creating a genuinely dark and creepy atmosphere, accentuated by shots with limited light and the rain that is constantly falling throughout the film. It's the type of atmosphere that made me, as a viewer, feel more "attached" to the film. The events are much more believable when the director's visuals make you feel something, and Scorsese executes that to perfection here. There's one specific scene where Teddy is having a dream about his wife, and "ash rain" (the best way to describe it) starts falling from the ceiling as the entire building - and Dolores - turn to ash. It's quite stunning visually and was one of the scenes that really stood out to me in that aspect.
The acting and writing are top notch, as expected. Leo DiCaprio is excellent as usual, and one actor who really impressed me was Sir Ben Kingsley as Dr. John Cawley, the lead doctor at the asylum on Shutter Island. He comes off as a generally nice, average doctor...but there always seems to be something off about him. And it's not so much about the lines - its the way Cawley plays him, the small changes in facial expression and tone.
The movie also contains a fairly interesting twist, (which I will not spoil here for the benefit of our readers) but parts of it are slightly predictable, if you think about it critically while watching. Despite that, however, the film is still a great watch because of the reasons I listed above. DiCaprio and Scorsese are two people most of the film-going community expect greatness from - together and apart - and they deliver.
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