Shutter Island

So we’ve gone to see the new Leonardo DiCaprio movie last night. In the grand tradition that I started on this blog way back in the mists of time, I shall attempt to sum the entire film up in three words.

Misplaced

First of all let’s talk about music. Big blaring horns that sound like something that’s been stolen from The Shining do not a creepy atmosphere make. I found it actually quite funny in places where I’m sure I wasn’t meant to. The bloody huge build-up of raucously loud music assaulting my ears made me wonder if this was in fact a spoof, where the music is deliberately misleading you. For some reason as the movie went on I found myself wishing more more and more that I was in fact watching The Shining and not this film. But more on that later. Certainly not misplaced, though, were Mark Ruffalo and Sir Ben Kingsley, who both did an excellent job, as did Emily Mortimer. Leonardo DiCaprio is not my favourite actor by any stretch of the imagination and in fact at first I was prepared to ignore him in this film and just enjoy the rest of it. However, he did do a very sound job - even if his entire script consisted of one hundred and one different ways to cry and greet at the camera. And he looked to be channelling Jack Nicholson for some of the scenes where he talks to Sir Ben.

Twist

I’ve heard from my friends that I was sat with that the ending seemed to be some kind of twist. Funny that - one hour into the movie I realised where it was going and I wanted them to fucking well hurry up and get there. But more on that later. This ‘twist’ that came was not exactly a twist at all. In fact I was waiting for the actual twist - which would have been Sir Ben turning out to be the patient putting orderlies and prison guards through the same kind of twisted role-playing mind games that he said he was putting Leonardo DiCaprio through. It did not come. I was disappointed with the ending.

Long

How bloody long was that film? It felt like about four weeks! I like a good film and I like it to take its time and build up slowly, but that was kind of taking the piss. Little wonder that my friend sat next to me fell asleep halfway through (okay, in her defence it was a late-night showing and she actually does have a full day). I have to say I was disappointed that it took them so very long to get to what for me was an obvious ending. Maybe I just assumed certain things without having seen any trailers, write-ups or reviews before I went into the cinema. I certainly did not realise it was made by Martin Scorsese until I saw his name on the film.

All in all then, not the most successful Monday Movie Night. This comes hot on the heels of last Monday’s meeting which involved a visually stunning but substance-lacking version of Alice in Wonderland. Perhaps next Monday’s movie, The Hurt Locker, will be much better. Well I bloody well hope so, seeing as it’s just won the Oscar for Best Movie.

And that’s the much it. I told you I would be back soon and I am, even if I am moaning about a film that many people have worked very hard on and were very proud of. I’m sure many people will enjoy this film and they will love how it all finally plays out, so perhaps it’s best that you ignore me and my boredom with live entertainment in general these days. Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by Farscape, but I’m sorry I saw that ending coming a mile off and was bored until it finally arrived. That said, I did like the style of editing.

There we go. Job done. Soopytwist (no-one gets peach and lube today, sorry).

Tags:
Shutter Island ~ Leonardo DiCaprio ~ Martin Scorsese