Review - "Shutter Island"

"Wouldn't you agree, when you see a monster, you must stop it?" - Dr. Jeremiah Naehring in "Shutter Island"


When we first meet U.S. Marshal Edward "Teddy" Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio), he is ill from sea sickness aboard the boat ferrying him and his new partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) to Shutter Island - the remote location of the Ashecliffe Hospital For The Criminally Insane. These two federal marshals have been called in to investigate the circumstances surrounding the escape of Rachel Solando (Emily Mortimer) - a patient suffering from delusions after drowning her three children. With a hurricane bearing down on the island, Teddy and Chuck find themselves trapped on the island and forced to carry out their investigation under the watchful eye of the less-than-forthcoming chief psychiatrist Dr. John Cawley (Ben Kingsley). Suffering from vivid nightmares of his traumatic experiences during the war and headaches that grow more painful by the hour, Teddy becomes increasingly paranoid about the goings-on at Aschecliffe and reveals to Chuck his ulterior motive for venturing to Shutter Island - to find the man responsible for the tragic death of his wife Dolores Chanal (Michelle Williams) in an apartment fire. But, like everything on Shutter Island, nothing is what it seems and, with each new twist and turn, Teddy is forced into a frantic search for the truth that will lead to him towards a shocking climactic showdown.

"Shutter Island" is a breathtaking experience. Directed by the acclaimed Martin Scorsese ("The Departed", "Taxi Driver"), "Shutter Island" is an engrossing mind-bender that easily surpasses any film released so far this year. Based upon the novel by Dennis Lehane, whose other works "Mystic River" and "Gone Baby Gone" have also been adapted into films, it weaves a complex tale about the human mind and the things we are capable of in the wake of unspeakable acts of horror. Having collaborated previously on 2006's Best Picture winner "The Departed" and the films "The Aviator" and "Gangs of New York", Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese continue to build an excellent rapport with this latest collaboration and DiCaprio delivers a knockout performance here as a confused man searching for answers in a place full of secrets. Scorsese, as always, directs a visually stunning film. Bringing the words of screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis to life, Scorsese creates a chilling atmosphere with a sense of foreboding that never seems to fade and orchestrates scenes that will send shivers up your spine. Rather than relying on visual effects, what makes Scorsese great is the way he frames his scenes and create that sense in the audience that you are actually experiencing the movie.


I've grown particularly fond of DiCaprio - particularly in "The Departed" and "Catch Me If You Can" - and he continues to impress here as the federal marshal caught in a web of deceit and darkness. While some may criticize his performance as one-note, DiCaprio succeeds in conveying a number of emotions as he oscillates between a man determined to find the truth and a man terrified of what he might find. There are a number of dream sequences in the film - all of them surreal and vivid thanks to the masterful direction of Scorsese - and provide a wrenching look inside the psyche of the haunted and tormented Teddy, made all the more emotive by the superb acting of Leonardo DiCaprio. Ben Kinglsey, as the seemingly up-to-no-good chief psychiatrist of Ashecliffe, and Mark Ruffalo, as the marshal who often plays skeptic to Teddy, also provide strong performances. It is a bit of a return to form for Kingsley after his recent slew of mediocre films and his intriguing performance allows him to steal almost every scene he's in. Ruffalo, in my opinion, is one of the finest supporting actors working in Hollywood today, with his roles in "Collateral" and "Zodiac" being some of my personal favorites. Max Von Sydow, Emily Mortimer, and Jackie Earle Haley are all effective in their minor parts but it is Michelle Williams whose performance, seen completely in flashbacks and dream sequences, is one of the most powerful and chilling in the film.

Another aspect of "Shutter Island" that impressed was the music. Part of what makes "Shutter Island" so engrossing and tense is the creepy atmosphere throughout the film and the score plays a large role in establishing that distinct sense of dread that builds as the plot continues to twist and turn.

Overall, I consider "Shutter Island" to be the best film released so far this year. While some may consider it a departure from what Martin Scorsese has done in the past, I feel that a "straight-forward thriller", if you can call it that, like this is nothing to roll your eyes at. With great all-around performances from a superb cast of actors and a gripping plot that twists and turns it way towards a shocking climax that few will see coming, "Shutter Island" is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you talking about the ending for days after you've already left the theater. My rating: 9/10

Review - "The Wolfman"

"Even a man who is pure in heart and says his prayers by night may become a wolf when the wolfbane blooms and the autumn moon is bright." - Opening Lines of "The Wolfman"


Theatre actor Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) returns to his hometown of Blackmoor, England in 1891 after receiving word that his brother Ben Talbot (Simon Merrells) has disappeared. Upon his arrival, Lawrence is informed by his estranged father John Talbot (Anthony Hopkins) that Ben has indeed been found - dead in a ditch, having been ravaged by some kind of feral beast. Sympathetic towards his brother's grieving fiancee Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt), Lawrence vows to hunt down the murderer and, in his search for answers, is led to a gypsy camp where Ben came into possession of a strange medallion. But, during his visit with the gypsy Maleva (Geraldine Chaplin), the camp is attacked by a wolf and Lawrence is savagely bitten in the ensuing confrontation. Nursed back to health by Gwen, Lawrence begins to undergo bizarre physical changes and, when his wound vanishes completely, draws the suspicion of superstitious local townspeople. To complicate matters, Inspector Francis Abberline (Hugo Weaving) has arrived to investigate the recent attacks and takes an unusual interest in Lawrence - and his dark past. Soon, Lawrence is forced to unleash a beast from within that he never knew existed and unspeakable acts of horror follow.

Directed by Joe Johnston ("Jumanji", "Jurassic Park III"), "The Wolfman" is a throwback to the classic monster movies of old. Having followed all of the rumors of reshoots and last-minute editing and the repeated delaying of its release date, I went into "The Wolfman" with cautious expectations, bracing myself for the possibility of it being a complete and utter mess of a film. To its credit, I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw despite the fact that there some obvious parts where post-production edits had done a number on certain scenes. As a result, the beginning felt a little rushed at times, with some scenes feeling as if part of them ended up on the cutting room floor, and the pacing throughout seemed a little too up and down for my tastes. It'll be interesting to see if the studio releases an extended version on DVD and, when restored, what kind of effect those edited scenes have on the movie as a whole. Pacing and editing aside, "The Wolfman" succeeds in fulfilling its promise of providing horrific and gruesome thrills and doesn't pretend to be something its not. It never descends into one of the kill-a-minute slasher flicks that flood the theaters today but instead creates a sense of emotion with the characters while maintaining is traditional monster movie themes.

In the lead role, Benicio Del Toro is actually rather good here and earns the sympathy of the audience for his portrayal of a man haunted by his traumatic past and tormented by the tragic curse that has befallen him. Like a regular Jekyll and Hyde, Lawrence never allows the darkness of his monstrous alter ego to consume him and is driven by his need for redemption for what he has done when under the power of the beast (though a need for something else does come into play later in the film but revealing it here would spoil a nice twist). Del Toro impressed me here with his performance. Anthony Hopkins comes close to being over-the-top but never goes so far as to chew the scenery in his role as the estranged father who appears more interested in tormenting his son than being an actual father figure to him. Hopkins often comes off as cold and masochistic but keeps much of his character's intentions and motives in the shadows, to great effect. It is the dynamic between Del Toro and Hopkins that holds the story together and drives it towards its fiery conclusion. Emily Blunt is under-utilized here as the love interest Gwen Conliffe and it was interesting to see Hugo Weaving in a different role than we're to used to seeing him in.


As for the transformation scenes, color me impressed. Everyone knows that the money shots in any werewolf movie are the transformation scenes and "The Wolfman" doesn't disappoint. Relying heavily on computer-generated effects for the scenes in which Lawrence turns into a wolf man, the transformation is gruesome enough to make you feel his pain and never seems too unrealistic despite the use of computer imagery. While hardly measuring up to the now-classic scene from "An American Werewolf In London", the transformation sequences in "The Wolfman" get the job done. In the case of make-up for the actual werewolf, you can't go wrong with Academy Award-winning make-up artist Rick Baker and he does a wonderful job here with Del Toro.

Overall, I liked "The Wolfman". I'm a fan of the original "The Wolf Man" from 1941 and, while this remake hardly measures up, "The Wolfman" has its merits and is a very satisfying entry into the monster movie collection from Universal Studios. It also has its flaws in editing and pacing but it is definitely an entertaining horror film with good effects and performances and I would recommend it to any fan of classic monster movies. My rating: 7/10