"Shutter Island" Movie

2/27/2010

[GLDNGUN]

Saw the movie "Shutter Island" yesterday and give it a big "thumbs up".

[GLDNGUN]

My wife and I went with another couple to see the movie. We had been looking forward to the show for months based upon the previews. A lot of times movies are not as good as the previews, or you know the whole story after seeing a preview. In this case, the movie was even better than the preview. Some people say they knew what was going to happen after seeing the preview, but I certainly didn't. I question whether those people actually understood what happened in the movie, especially at the end.

From the previews, I thought it was going to be half horror/half mystery. I'm no fan of horror movies, so I wasn't looking forward to that; however, the movie was much, much more of a mystery thriller than a horror-type movie, so that was a pleasant surprise.

If you like Hitchcock movies such as Vertigo, you should love this movie. It's very much a "retro" type movie, taking place in the 1950s with a 50s type soundtrack that greatly adds to the haunting, eerie mood. Some were distracted by the score, but I thought it added greatly to the movie's "ambience".

I also think the acting and way the movie was shot was very well done as well. Overall, it's a great movie (IMO) that still has my wife and I talking about it the next day. The weird thing is I've changed my mind a couple of times already on what actually happened but think I've got most of it figured out now except for a minor detail or two. I like movies that take a little thinking and leave a few clues laying around to help you figure it out.

Now, as to the ending...

SPOILER ALERT:

For those of you who have seen the movie, I'd like your thoughts on the movie, especially the ending. My take is that "Teddy, the US Marshall" never existed. Teddy is actually Edward, the guy who came back from the war, suffering PTSD and killed his wife after discovering that she murdered their 3 children. Edward also felt responsible for their deaths as his wife told him she was having mental problems, but he didn't get her help. The mental anguish was too much so his mind created an elaborate delusion in which he was Teddy, not Edward. He was a US Marshall, not the most dangerous inmate at an insane asylum. Since he was the most dangerous inmate that had attacked others on the island, the doctors there determined that they would have no choice but to labatomize him if he didn't "come around" to face reality. In an effort to help him, they played along with his fantasy, providing an elaborate role-playing "game" in which they allowed him to be "Teddy" and do an investigation there with his "partner" named "Chuck", who was actually his shrink on the island. Ultimately, the therapy does work and Edward faces the reality that he is the one responsible for his wife's death, and again he feels responsible for the deaths of his children. He's also told that he snapped out of his delusion 7 months ago, but slipped back into it. He supposedly slips into the delusion once again at the end calling his doctor "Chuck" and pretending they were US Marshals again. The doctor signals that Edward has slipped back into "Teddy" mode again, and the orderlies come to take him away for his labotomy. Right before they get there, Edward says something to the doctor like "Would you rather live as a monster or die a good man?". He then willingly goes with the orderlies as the doctor stands up and yells "Teddy!". To me, Edward's last statement means that he had NOT actually slipped back into his delusion, but was pretending that he had because he would rather be labotomized, in which his memories would be erased and he would no longer have to think about what happened to his family. Again, I find this ending rather thought-provoking. His mind couldn't handle what had happened, so it created a false reality so he could live with himself. The head doctor was intent on helping his patients be as "sane" as possible without the use of drugs and/or medical procedures. Ultimately, the doctor was indeed successful with his role-playing game, but it didn't change the fact that Edward couldn't live with what he had done. So, where as he previously had sub-conciously taken refuge from the truth by creating a mental illusion that he was someone else, he was now making a consious decision to avoid the truth by getting himself labotomized.

Enough from me. I would love to hear what other Freepers thought of the movie. Maybe some of you have completely different takes on it. Maybe I'm the crazy one. LOL

[autumnraine]

Is it as creepy as it seems? I want to find a sitter to go see it myself.

[JoeProBono]

[GiovannaNicoletta]

I saw it last weekend and thought it was excellent!

I thought the ending was brilliant- I'm still not sure that the guy wasn't "set up"...

[GiovannaNicoletta]

It’s more of a psychological thriller- not a horror flick at all.

[robomatik]

Martin Scorsese is a very talented director, but i'll wait for it to come out on dvd though.

[Eccl 10:2]

Just a friendly reminder that every dollar you pay to Hollywood helps to fuel their anti-conservative, anti-Christian agenda.

[sinanju]

So little Leo held up his end?

[spacejunkie01]

what about kids? how young IYO could kids go? Mine are 9 & 10 but they’ve seen alot and are pretty ‘worldly’...

We took them to Book of Eli (EXCELLENT MOVIE) and they loved it.

The Book of Eli is NON FICTION in my opinion because it shows us what this world will look like with the removal of the Bible from society.

[GLDNGUN]

Is it as creepy as it seems? I want to find a sitter to go see it myself.

It is indeed "creepy", but not over the top. Again, think "Hitchcock".

[GLDNGUN]

So little Leo held up his end?

Actually he did.

[GLDNGUN]

what about kids? how young IYO could kids go? Mine are 9 & 10 but they’ve seen alot and are pretty ‘worldly’...

I can't really recommend it for kids, especially that young. It is "dark". Not the type that I usually like, but this is just so well done. It is rated "R" for a reason.

[sinanju]

Hmmm, he just couldn’t convince me as the tough South African mercenary in “Blood Diamonds”. Definitely not as Howard Hughes in “The Aviator”, frown line or no.

[hole_n_one]

I saw The Crazies last night.

........then it dawned on me that the TV was on MSNBC.

[GLDNGUN]

Just a friendly reminder that every dollar you pay to Hollywood helps to fuel their anti-conservative, anti-Christian agenda.

I appreciate the reminder, and I don't support anti-conservative, anti-Chritian entertainment; however, there's nothing wrong with rewarding good work and punishing bad work. You can take things to an extreme. I'm sure if you try hard enough you could find a reason to not pay another person 1 dollar, ever.

[atc23]

Correct, My take is that "Teddy" is Edward. Edward killed his wife and went into a psychotic break from reality.

I thought the movie was a B-

I just love Ted Levine and thought his scene was wonderful.

[racing fan]

I agree with you.

He didn’t seem to fit this movie either. It have been better if someone else played the role.

For those who haven’t seen it, I would wait until the dvd comes out.

The only factor in my seeing the film in the theater was that Martin Scorsese was directing it. I generally love his films. This one was ok. I enjoyed Bringing Out the Dead more than this one.

[GiovannaNicoletta]

It has a scene or two of sudden physical attacks by residents of a mental asylum and scenes of corpses in a concentration camp and a scene of partial male nudity.

It is rated R though and it might be a little dark for nine and ten year olds.

However, you know your kids - see if you can find some good reviews online about the movie and do what you think is best for them.

[Boardwalk]

Did you know that Marty Scorsese pronounces his last name Scorsassy! He is the only one who pronounces it that way. It’s just like Dick Cheney who pronounces his last name Cheeney and everyone says Channey.

[mom4kittys]

it looks scary.