Shutter Island (2010)

User Review

• 

  BarneyNuttall

  8 / 10

  despite seeing the twist coming from a mile away, Shutter Island is a ceaselessly entertaining movie that touches on many different genres with a brilliantly erratic central performance from Leonardo DiCaprio.
  
  So some things in the movie don't seem inherently clear. The rule of 4, for example, seems like a tenuous hint. However, for me, this film isn't about the plot. It's about the cinematic aspect of the film. From the script to the lighting, Shutter Island is a smorgasbord of influences. From the movie's Film Noir beginning with Chandler-esque dialogue to the Wickerman like falling action, Shutter Island is a war movie, a horror movie, a family drama, and countless other things.
  
  It comments insightfully on mental health, on trauma, on trust, on humanity's inherent need for violence and morality while providing a non-stop watch kind of film.
  
  The surreal imagery in the film draws on Lynch and on Nolan; one particular scene could be taken out of Twin Peaks. An interesting comparison would be with Inception, as there are undeniable links to DiCaprio's past in both films.
  
  Shutter Island, whilst being fairly predictable, will have you watching the screen with glee as you follow Scorsese down a path of cinematic influence, like a wonderful film dream.

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