Martin Scorsese's departure from his typical genre in Shutter Island really wants to see what he could do with another story in the same genre. Until that happens, enjoy this new 4k release that makes it look better than ever.
Shutter Island is one of those films you forget is directed by Martin Scorsese. In a departure from his normal repertoire, the film doesn’t focus on gangsters or violence, but rather tells an intriguing mystery of Shutter Island, the location of a mental hospital where some of the worst offenders have been sent to protect the rest of society, and themselves, in attempt to study and treat them. Arriving on the island is U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his new partner Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), called in to investigate an unexplained disappearance of one of the patients. During the investigation, we learn that Teddy’s motivations for choosing this assignment are deeper than just trying to find an escaped patient, but to discover the fate of the man who burned down the apartment building that killed his wife and children. Odd things begin to happen, people aren’t who they seem, and the mystery involving patient 67 begins to overwhelm Teddy as he searches for answers, questioning the motives of everyone on the island.
Shutter Island was one of those films I missed when it came out and never got around to seeing, despite my enjoyment of mystery and films that lend more to the psychological horror genre. Based on the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, the story is weaved brilliantly that sets up an intriguing mystery that continues to deepen as the film progresses. The setting itself is probably one of my favorites in this type of genre, as the wild and unpredictable nature of the weather is relentless upon the isolated island, with its sheer cliffs and unnavigable forests, it becomes one of the biggest obstacles the protagonist faces during his time there. As the mystery deepens, Teddy’s investigation takes him to haunting places on the island that set the tone of the film perfectly, only raising more questions than answers as Teddy’s mind begins to unravel at everything happening.
Scorsese’s collaboration with Leonardo DiCaprio has resulted in some of the greatest characters he’s ever played. While Teddy Daniels certainly isn’t DiCaprio’s best of the best, he does an amazing job at the role he’s given, playing a certain duality, a broken man that has come from a violent past. That past is one of the reasons I enjoyed the character so much, that he has so much to draw from on the events from his background: to witnessing the horrors at the Dachau Concentration Camps, the death of his wife and children, all culminate in creating one of the most in-depth characters with so much substance that I’ve seen in quite a while. Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Max von Sydow, all give great performances as the supporting cast, performances that have you questioning everything you think you know about the story. But one of the highlights for me was Michelle Williams playing Teddy’s wife, who shows up in flashbacks and visions that haunt Teddy throughout the film. Her performance is simply chilling, especially some of the things you begin to learn about Teddy’s past.
Just because I hadn’t seen Shutter Island until now, I’m sure many have, as it was Scorsese’s highest grossing opener at the time of release. If you’re lucky enough not to have had the ending spoiled for you, I don’t think that will matter too much, as you can honestly see the ‘twist’ coming a mile away. Despite this, it’s the journey how they get there and the elaborate methods the story takes to conclude the story that is so fascinating, even giving the film a nice multiple-watch appeal in order to see things you might have missed the first time around. The ending sequence is also my favorite portion of the film. Without giving anything away, the film sets up something that is open to interpretation, something that wasn’t open in the book, a something that, depending on which way you lean in this discussion, has such a deep and significant meaning
Video
Shutter Island is presented in 2160 4k Ultra High Definition Widescreen 2.35:1 featuring Dolby Vision. This transfer looks exceptional, with the Dolby Vision providing the dynamic meta-data that ensures each sequence looks its best. Colors are vibrant, with the transfer offering brilliant brights and deep darks, something important to the tone of the film in the later portion.
Audio
The audio is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. This track sounds great, with a good balance between the surrounds and dialogue of the center channel. As much as I would have enjoyed an upgraded Atmos track solely for the fact of the severe atmospheric effects of the weather and storms on the island, this 5.1 track sounds great too, providing a powerful experience the listener will be sure to enjoy. The track itself is incredible, also providing a very powerful experience that is the perfect accompaniment to the film and its tone.
Special Features
This Steelbook release has nice packaging, something that collectors of these types of releases will appreciate. However, as far as extras go, there are no new features on this disc. What is included is from the original release and is located on the blu-ray disc. These include:
- Behind the Shutters
- Into the Lighthouse
Shutter Island can be rather predictable for those familiar with the psychological horror genre, but Scorsese brings an interesting take to it, still managing to make it quite entertaining. Fans of the film will surely enjoy this new Steelbook set including the 4k version of the film.
