Shutter Island

Martin Scorcese once again delivers a gripping movie that is difficult to take eyes off. Intense, and scary in parts, Shutter Island takes an old story and makes it into a good movie – a sort of a guide to junior directors as to how a thriller should be executed. The only times you might take your eyes off the screen is if you are one of the easily-scared – because a few sequences seem right out of a horror movie. The pace wears off a bit towards the end, but the overall experience is still good.

The director actor combination of Scorcese-Di Caprio is formidable (Departed, Aviator) and they don’t disappoint here as well. Leonardo Di Caprio does great in the role of a suspicious US Marshal – who along with his partner Mark Ruffalo – is investigating the escape of a murder convict from a hospital of the criminally insane. The mental asylum-prison set on an island in the outer Boston Harbor – and the only way to escape is through a boat.

Soon after their arrival, a cyclone lashes the island – complicating matters with an already enigmatic hospital staff – led by the inscrutable Ben Kingley. Di Caprio has his own personal demons to battle as well – how he fares in his quest is the story of Shutter Island.

While the treatment of the story is exemplary – making you question any and everything – as a thriller should, the end could have been a little tighter. Maybe even an alternative ending could have been used. But the director makes up for it by ending the movie on an enigmatic note – the last dialogue from Di Caprio could mean a number of things – its for the viewer to decide

The somewhat weak ending (and an old story) robs the otherwise excellent movie of some of it sheen. Shutter Island may not be one of the director’s greatest works, but its still a very enjoyable watch – definitely better than the over-hyped Raajneeti.