Review: Shutter Island

Martin Scorsese fans have waited four long months to see "Shutter Island" after it was pushed back to Feb. 19 from its original October release. Sometimes when a movie's release is delayed, it sparks curiosity about whether there are any problems preventing the movie from being released on time (the constant re-edits of "The Wolfman" spring to mind). But in the case of "Shutter Island," the wait was absolutely worth it.

The film opens with federal marshals Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) arriving to investigate the disappearance of a patient at Shutter Island, a remote psychiatric facility for dangerous, mentally unstable criminals.

The methods of chief psychiatrist Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley) seem off to Teddy from the start, and he is immediately suspicious that the patients and staff at Shutter Island aren't as in the dark about the missing patient's whereabouts as they let on.

Teddy soon discovers that nothing inside the walls of Shutter Island is what it seems, and the facility may be involved in a conspiracy that goes way beyond one missing patient. Teddy is also reeling from the death of his wife (Michelle Williams) and his time serving his country in World War II, and his motives for investigating Shutter Island are not strictly professional.

Scorsese takes a detour here from his familiar gangster fare, and he does it beautifully. From about five minutes in, the entire movie is full of edge-of-your-seat suspense. He throws twist after twist at the audience, and you never have a clue what's coming. I hate predictable suspense films, and "Shutter Island" is anything but.

Laeda Kalogridis' script is seamless, flowing freely from one head-scratching moment to the next. Whenever a character speaks and whenever there is only silence, the script maintains an evenly eerie feel. This is further enhanced by the haunting score.

Scorsese also couldn't have asked for a better cast. He and DiCaprio have always had a great synergy, which unsurprisingly continues in this film. Kingsley and Ruffalo (who I think is one of the most underrated actors working right now) also give fantastic supporting performances.

While Jackie Earle Haley, Patricia Clarkson and Emily Mortimer may not have much screen time, they make the most with what they have and are chilling in the few minutes they're onscreen.

"Shutter Island" may not be quite as masterful as "The Departed," but it's an intense thrill ride that will keep audiences guessing until the very end and leave them glued to their seats long after the credits start rolling. A-