Shutter Island

After an hour, you start to get a sense of what it's actually like, though you may have your doubts (which is fine) – you just need to have seen a few films with similar themes. Still, it's solidly made, the acting is good, some scenes are really good, but as a whole it was too long and didn't draw me in enough to forget the long running time. A very strong 3 stars. (13/08/2017)

I'm still struggling to find words the day after the screening. The meticulously crafted screenplay is still spinning in my head, the performances are in front of my eyes, and Martin Scorsese, after the average "The Aviator" and the misstep named "The Departed", is excelling so much that it takes my breath away. He plays with Hitchcock, with Kubrick, screams his love for old films to the world, and squeezes me every few minutes. At one point, I almost burst into tears out of helplessness, and a few minutes later, I am almost killed by the escalating tension. And the whole time, he has an unbelievable control over me, leading me through every corner of Shutter Island as he pleases. At this late stage of his filmography, it is the absolute pinnacle, and at the same time, a diamond that I come back to in my memories like to few others. (18/03/2010)

Shutter Island is a bit like certain Brian De Palma movies – they might not be for everyone, but if it’s your cup of tea, you will be left speechless. It begins with a ship arriving at a mysterious island, which in terms of camerawork, editing and the use of scary retro music in the style of Miklós Rózsa is an equally valuable manual to creating an absolutely immersive film opening like the landing at the beginning of Saving Private Ryan. And it ends not as much by making a point that turns the preceding plot upside down (in the world of film scripts, this idea is not all that original anyway), but with a bonus – the last scene and line of the film that pushes “that thriller with DiCaprio people go see en masse” three levels higher. Everything between the beginning and ending can be criticized for occasional cheesiness or chaotic switching between reality and hallucinations (which raises a few hard-to-answer questions) or the cold attitude to its characters. But all of this is part of the director’s cunning game, which is not about raising the audience’s goosebumps over the Ward C maniacs, nor milking their emotions over the fate of the main character. Because this director plays a different kind of game altogether. ___ After the second viewing, my hands were shaking like after smoking a pack of Dr. Cawley’s cigarettes. Shutter Island is an exceptional film from some other dimension. (15/02/2010)

Everything that Avatar could not provide me, namely a strong story, well-developed characters, and real tension, Shutter Island was able to deliver in abundance. No director has played so well with me since Fight Club, and I haven't had such a comprehensive film experience in a long time, despite watching a number of good films in the recent past. A smart screenplay, excellent camera work, carefully chosen exteriors, an outstanding cast, and impressive performances. A combination of all the elements of filmmaking. Martin Scorsese is an experienced filmmaker and this is the culmination of his long career. Individual scenes and significant twists in the film, such as the confrontation in the fortress or the final confrontation at the lighthouse, will resonate with me for a long time. Shutter Island is a meticulously crafted drama with numerous elements of classical psycho-horror. An emotional affair with a variety of interesting characters. This film is a strong contender for my biggest cinematic experience this year. I have nothing substantial to criticize about Scorsese's film. Overall impression: 100%. This is what honest classic filmmaking should be. (03/03/2010)

For perhaps the first time ever, Martin Scorsese doesn't tell a story but rather glues together scenes that are more like visual masturbation by him and the cinematographer. The actors (DiCaprio is traditionally great, and so is Mark Ruffalo, despite being unnecessarily kept in the back,) do their best and deliver fine dialogues, but the plot doesn't go anywhere, the film lacks any tension, and the characters drown in having to run around the island confused and in the cheap memories of Dachau. Also, waiting almost two hours for the point seems pretty damn cheap for a director who was originally supposed to sell it as the polished thriller of the year. With all due respect to the master, this is a bad and tediously boring film through and through. (21/03/2010)