I’d hate for this to be the worst kind of review that bows down and only sings praises for the director, actors and writers. I wish that I could say that I’m sorry for writing that kind of review.

On February 19^th , Martin Scorsese reminded us just how much of a genius he is. Paramount Pictures’ Shutter Island, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, and Ben Kingsley opened in theaters to blow audiences’ minds everywhere.

DiCaprio plays Teddy Daniels, a U.S Marshall sent along with his partner, Chuck Aule (Ruffalo), to Shutter Island, a mental hospital, to find an escaped patient that called the island home. Ashecliffe Hospital is run by Dr. Cawley (Kingsley) who treats its criminally insane and violent residents.

As he begins to investigate, Teddy realizes that something very strange is going on and becomes determined to get to the bottom of it. Meanwhile, we find that he pushed for the chance to come to Shutter Island, but is soon guessing whether his arrival was his own plan or of Ashecliffe’s suspicious doctors. As he climbs deeper down the rabbit hole that is Shutter Island, Teddy ends up questioning his own mind—neither knowing who he can trust nor what is really happening.

This is all that I’m able to share on regarding plot without giving away the crux of the movie. I have no other choice but to give Shutter Island an A+. The still dashing DiCaprio did a fantastic job playing Teddy Daniels and needed to do little to prove how he is an actor worthy of serious praise. I am particularly proud of Mark Ruffalo for going from 13 Going on 30 to Blindness (also a fantastic film) to Shutter Island. He is seriously climbing the ranks in the film industry and I look forward to seeing him in a lead role soon.

The acting altogether was exceptional and, while I have never read the book that it is based upon, I thought that the storyline was captivating and kept you guessing. This was my favorite part of the whole movie. While you may have figured out things at certain points, you will be left thinking even after you’ve left the theater.

Many times you don’t really think about the movie’s direction when watching one, but I can genuinely say that this film couldn’t have been the same without Scorsese’s eye. The way that he captured the story is really made the movie worth seeing.

On a final note, I want to say that I think that if you don’t end up liking Shutter Island, then you need to watch it again because you probably just missed something. There are a lot of twists and turns, as well as layers to it, so be ready to pay attention.

Author: Crissy Zamarron