"Is it better to live as a monster or to die as a good man?"
- Shutter Island
Since I'm a big Martin Scorsese fan, I was really looking forward to seeing this film based on the novel by Dennis Lehane.
The film started out kind of slow - it had a lot of dialogue in the beginning. Now, this is the type of movie that you need to pay attention to as there are many characters being introduced. Also, it's also set up as a sort of detective type movie.
From an audience perspective, it had kind of an eerie feeling and was very Alfred Hitchcock in style. (If you've seen this Hitchcock movie, which is among my favorites, the style is very similar).
While watching the movie, I felt that I had to be alert the whole way through. There were times where characters were being talked about and I had to think back to a prior scene to remember who the character was. Again, there is a lot of dialogue in the beginning and it contributes a lot to the film.
Let me be honest, I had very high hopes for this film going in. And, let me tell you - it just wasn't as great as I had hoped for. It wasn't a bad movie, it was just ok.
It kind of just left me hanging - it just didn't have the "punch" I was expecting. (If you're into psychological thrillers like me, you'll know what I'm talking about - those twists, turns and unexpected endings that make me just want to watch these movies time and time again).
Throughout the movie, there are bits and pieces of the puzzle presented through flashback scenes. While watching the film, I felt more like a detective trying to put the pieces together.
In the end, the pieces seemed to come together. But, I still wasn't that satisfied with it. (If you've seen this movie (among one of my favorite psychological thrillers), it's very similar in it's style of trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together).
The end really just left the audience hanging. I wasn't quite sure if the message was clear enough. It was more of a "draw your own conclusion" type of ending.
Overall, the movie was ok. Since I'm a fan of Alfred Hitchcock, I did enjoy the "Hitchcockian" feel of the movie. It really did remind me of his work.
If you're a big fan of Martin Scorsese and just have to see all of his films when they first come out, I'd say go for it. If that's not the case, I'd say this one is better if you wait to check it out on DVD.
Happy movie watching!
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Sunday, February 21, 2010
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8 comments:
wow...i thought this film was flawless
the ending was better than the book!!
spoiler
it showed that he would rather be labotimised than live with the fact that he killed his wife and that his kids were dead.
"is it better to die as a hero or live as a monster."
Watching the trailer for this movie, it was hard to figure out what it was about. I like Martin Scorese's movie and Leonardo DiCaprio's acting, so I plan to check it out. Maybe I will wait until it is on video.
(Candice) I guess it just didn't do it for me. I think it was because the psychological thrillers I've enjoyed in the past have gone back to the same scenes at the end but gives the audience a different perspective, which gives it a "punch." I guess I just didn't feel the intensity with this film.
(Jeremy) I was thinking about checking out the book. I'll keep that in mind.
(Clarabela) I do enjoy both Martin Scorsese's films and also Leonardo DiCaprio's work as an actor, too. When I saw the trailer, it caught my attention since I do enjoy psychological thriller type films.
Thanks all for stopping by!
Hey, I've inducted you into my Movie Menage post for Shutter Island. Check it out: http://reelwhore.blogspot.com/2010/02/movie-menage-shutter-island.html
I loved that last line and felt it had the same intention as Jeremy mentioned. It was so incredibly sad, that here's a man who'd rather be lobotomized than have to live with all that had happened to him.
(Reel Whore) Thanks for including me in your Movie Menage post, cool! Will definitely check it out. Yes, the last line was really powerful - it really had a strong effect on the audience. Thanks for stopping by!
I'm gonna try and see this movie tonight. It looks good.
(Karen) It would be interesting to see what you think of it - it's fascinating to hear different perspectives on the film. Thanks for stopping by!
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