Super Frat

As you can see from the trailer, Shutter Island is this thrill-a-minute, intense mystery where a couple of US marshals get caught up in the strange doings of what’s going on at a mental facility. It has a shocking ending, according to the marketing. And thus, Shutter Island becomes a victim of its own advertising.

Because if the ending is “shocking” then there’s really only a few ways to go with it. What’s shocking? (possible spoiler alert here) Well, it could be the doctors are the patients and the patients are the doctors (as in a play I once saw called “James Joyce is Dead and so is Paris”) or it could be that Leonardo DiCaprio (who gives an outstanding performance) is really trapped in his own mind (as in “The Prisoner” TV series) or it could be that the island eventually drives him insane and he becomes trapped forever. Maybe everyone dies at the end. Whatever.

The problem is, you kind of end up looking for that because of the marketing. If the film had been billed as more of a mystery, then the ending would be more of a shock. As it is, it’s a really well made film, but when the ending is reveal, the pay off is kind of anti-climatic. It’s kind of like watching a car race, but then everyone brakes for the last lap and walks to the finish line.

The dialogue, the performances and the direction are all great, but its the ending that kind of deflates the whole balloon. Unlike The Departed, where Scorsese had real shocking moments and several potential endings, Shutter is surprising and engaging up to a point. Then suddenly, you realize the ending and it might as well be over at that moment.

Maybe I’m just too jaded by modern society and the daily atrocities we see on the news. One potential movie ending could’ve been action-packed, the other, the one they choose, is kind of slow. Ultimately, I think the action-packed version would’ve been more entertaining. Can’t really say much more without giving away the “shocking ending”.

I give Shutter Island 6 out of 10 keggers. Good, but probably a better rental, bros.