Well, not a real trip because it doesn't actually exist, sorry. So let's go see the movie that came out instead. I hope that's enough. Oh wait, it is, because this movie is great.
Shutter Island, based on the novel by Dennis Lehane, is acclaimed director Martin Scorsese's first film after 2007's best picture winning The Departed. The film can be described as a psychological thriller, set at a mental institution on a fictional island. The plot follows US Marshal Teddy Daniels, naturally played by Leonardo DiCaprio (Martin Scorsese's next staple actor after the age of Robert DeNiro passed). He is sent to investigate an escaped patient on the titular Shutter Island. From there things spiral into a series of intriguing events. Conspiracy theories are thrown around like paper air planes on substitute teacher day in elementary school. The plot takes a great number of surprising twists, and as such I won't be going into any more detail, because spoiling this would be a crime.
So let's talk about it from a technical standpoint. First off, this movie is ridiculously good looking. The set pieces are so realistic looking. The help convey the immense atmosphere of this movie. An atmosphere of tension and undercut insanity. The atmosphere is one of the most appealing things about this movie. It's great and instantly recognizable. Several surreal dream sequences occur that are beautifully filmed. These to me are the highlight of the film. The shots are perfect.
The direction is, of course, incredible. There's a reason Martin Scorsese is so highly acclaimed: because he is really good at what he does. Naturally since this movie came from the director of such brilliant films as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, and Gangs of New York, expectations are incredibly high. While Shutter Island does not quite measure up to those classics, it is still a very enjoyable film. This movie breaks away from the typical Scorsese New York Crime movie formula, and it really works. This is Scorsese trying his hand at a thriller, something he hasn't really done since 1991's remake of Cape Fear. Shutter Island works as a far better thriller than Scorsese's previous attempt. One complaint would be that the same "waking up from a dream by bolting upright in a sweaty shock" motion was used several times, but that is minor. Another would be that the music seems over dramatic at several points.
Having both read the book and seen the film, I can say with full honesty this is one of the most faithful adaptations of source material I have ever seen. No plot elements were altered. It is as if Dennis Lehane's words were lifted from the pagers and placed directly onto the screen. Though that would mean the words had to change into Leonardo DiCaprio, but whatever.
Anyway, I highly recommend this movie. If you haven't heard of it, check out the trailer, courtesy of the Internet Movie Database
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