The Film
Director Martin Scorsese goes back to the Dennis Lehane library for Shutter Island, a super-creepy, surprising tale that might actually drive the viewer a little insane.
Leonardo DiCaprio revives his Departed accent as U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels. He and partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) ride out to Shutter Island to investigate a missing patient at the extremely spooky Ashecliff Hospital. Maybe it just seems spooky because the hospital is for the criminally insane. Maybe it's Robbie Robertson's boo-tiful soundtrack.
Either way, the plot seems simple enough. A dangerous patient escapes and the fuzz are out to find her. There's only one problem: There's pretty much no way to get off the island.
Shutter Island is filled with trippy visuals designed to set off your inner creep-o-meter. Scorcese gives a big nod to Hitchcock here, but this 2.35:1 transfer is definitely a lot prettier. The opening shot has an almost unnatural blue sky, which is intentional and also gorgeous. That's just one of the many times that the sky will mesmerize you; it's actually a major presence in the movie. Overall, Scorcese uses a dim color palette, with deep and extremely impressive black levels. The inside of the asylum is about as cheerful as you'd expect, but has excellent details throughout. If you're looking for some wow factor, there are plenty of other scenes to test out this transfer. Aside from the skies and the green grass, everything from blood to Michelle Williams' dress to the apartment walls all stand out, thanks to bold colors and sharp detail.
The Sound
Much of the DTS-HD Master Audio track is spent on the soundtrack, which does deliver the heebie jeebies rather nicely. There's a good amount of bass to punch you in the gut when needed. Other than that, the track is filled with thunderstorm sounds, rats chirping, chains and keys rattling, buzzers buzzing, and other ambient noises. The dialogue sounds great, but the movie is just downright creepy and every sound coming from the screen helps to convey that feeling.
The Extras
We appreciate quality over quantity, but it's shame that Shutter Island comes with only two extras. "Behind the Shutters" focuses a lot on the Dennis Lehane connection, the genius that is Scorcese, cast and crew reactions to the film's twist, music, and everything else involved in the production. Frankly, each point could have been given its own short. "Into the Lighthouse" keeps up the creepy tones of the film, with about 21 minutes about all of the psychology in the movie. Sort of interesting, but also weird that Emily Mortimer gets almost as much screentime here as in the movie.
Final Thoughts
Shutter Island's stellar roster of acting talent, great image and sound, and surprise ending might make this one seem like a no-brainer (no pun intended). We do love surprises, but we hate waiting for them. At over two hours, Shutter Island takes a long time to make its point. Sadly, that really brings down the entire movie. However, this one might be worth a look, if not only for the awesome cinematography.
Product Details
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