The film I want to discuss today is actually one of my favorites! I was reminded of it when I went to scroll through Netflix trying to decide what to write about for this post. Today we will be delving into the mystery, the crazy twist, and the artistry of the 2010 film “Shutter Island” starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In my humble opinion, any movie Leo is in, I’m down to watch. However, I didn’t end up watching Shutter Island until 10th grade, when my best friend from high school recommended it to me. Shutter Island is a crazy mystery movie, and it’s one of those amazing films in which you think you understand what the plot is many times throughout its duration, but you really don’t until the end. The film is filled with clues about the finale’s truth, but all of which are so subtle that you likely would not pick up on them until you watch the final 15 minutes or so of the movie. This entry will definitely contain some spoilers, however, so do not read if you want to watch Shutter Island and get the best experience possible!
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The film follows two detectives as they take on the case of a murder’s escape from an insane asylum located on a small, remote island in the 1950s. To set the scene, the location is definitely creepy. The two detectives, Teddy, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and his partner Chuck take a boat through a choppy sea on the way to Ashecliffe Hospital, located on an island in the middle of nowhere. This island is the kind of place where the sun never shines and dark, intense thunderstorms wake the sea constantly. The two are there to investigate the escape of a dangerous murderer, and hopefully return her to the facility. Teddy is characterized as a brave, strong, and justice-seeking fighter who will stop at no end to solve the case and call out any unethical or unjust behavior he sees within the institution. However, Teddy’s real motive for going to Shutter Island is that his wife was killed in a fire due to arson at the hands of one of the patients in the facility, Andrew Laeddis.
The film is filled with many clues about the truth behind what is actually going on in the asylum. By the end of the film, we find out that our trusted and courageous protagonist is actually insane. The events culminate as Teddy begins to believe everyone on the island is out to get him; however, the audience doesn’t understand why until the very end. (SPOILER ALERT) The truth is, that Teddy is actually an insane murderer. His wife was mentally ill, and during an episode, drowned their three children in a lake many years ago. After discovering this, Teddy killed her, and this is where his true insanity began. He created a persona for himself, as the detective, because he could not face his actions which led to the deaths of his children. He is actually a patient at Ashecliffe, and his doctor conducted an elaborate experiment with the hopes of Teddy discovering his true identity once again, and leaving his detective persona in the dust. Insane, right? This is a crazy and a really long movie, so if you plan to watch it, be ready. However, I love it. The journey is full of highs and lows, and in my opinion, it is a must watch. Even though I spoiled the surprise, if you made it this far, you should still watch it and look out for all the clues which indicate the major plot twist.
My movie knowledge is lacking so I’ve never seen Shutter Island but the plot sounds really good! Sometimes I think “twists” at the end of a movie are obvious and cliche but that one sounds very unpredictable and exciting! Ill definitely need to watch that movie sometime because I love most of Leonardo DiCaprio’s movies!
I’ve never heard of Shutter Island, but it definitely sounds interesting. The plot twists and convoluted aspects of the movie remind me of films such as Memento, that are honestly confusing at points but come together in the end. A lot of Christopher Nolan films need to be watched more than once, for me at least. I searched up who directed Shutter Island, and I’m not surprised it’s Scorsese. I haven’t seen that many Scorsese films but I did watch the beginning of The Wolf of Wall Street, which also stars Leonardo DiCaprio. What I like about the plot twists of this film is that they all seem plausible, so it’s easier for me to believe they could happen. It is a fictional story, so my reservations regarding whether a research experiment on a patient like Teddy would happen in real life can be neglected to an extent.
I have never heard of Shutter Island, but I will add this to my “to watch” list. I love a good plot twist, I think it definitely makes things more interesting and memorable. I can’t believe I never have heard of this considering that it has been out for awhile. I love the picture of the eerie setting; It really adds to your blog post!