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Author Topic: Shutter Island  (Read 29122 times)

Bondo

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Re: Shutter Island
« Reply #10 on: February 19, 2010, 05:41:25 PM »
Question for anyone that has seen it... Did he really relapse at the end? I thought he didn't. When he said "what's better, living as a monster or dying a hero?" I took that as his delusions were over and seeing what he had done and who he really was, he would rather not live with that knowledge. So he takes the opportunity to fake his relapse and get the lobotomy...? Honestly, this interpretation of the ending helped me to like the film.

I want to believe it was a conspiracy all along and he faked the break from delusion and that the living as a monster or dying a hero means he either accepts their version of him (as a monster) and is able to escape death or he can remain true to who he actually is, but they will "kill" that person. But I'm not sure how I can possibly argue this given the visual effort to make his real character real. I need to think a bit more whether this view is defensible.

The interesting thing with this end is the earlier discussion about how "anyone" has trauma that would make people believe that they snapped. And they do an exceptional job showing why he would snap, between whatever happened in WWII and whatever happened with his wife. Thus you feel pretty sympathetic to him and his insanity. But does this mean he was insane, or does it mean they were right that they could convince us that he was insane?

smirnoff

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Re: Shutter Island
« Reply #11 on: February 19, 2010, 11:02:06 PM »
My problem was, and this is obviously big spoilers here, that I quickly guessed that he would be the insane one. And the whole movie I was just hoping that wouldn't be the case. That Scorsesee wouldn't make that film. I thought he was going to make us think that but reverse it in the end, showing it was a conspiracy all along and surprise everyone. But that didn't happen. I found that disappointing. But after that reveal, I felt it ended well anyway.

It also occurred to me early on that this could be the case. It's hard not to think it these days right? Like you point out, it's hardly a new twist. But for myself it was more of a passing thought and not something I hung on to. I didn't see any way to prove that theory at the time so I shelved it and busied myself with taking in the film as it was. I only revisited the idea when they got trapped in the cemetary and his partner started pointing out the "coincidences" of Teddy's situation. But even then there was no way to be certain.

It becomes more and more apparent what the truth is as things go on, and as the film nears the end it's all but certain in your mind. Even so, when he gets to the lighthouse and everything is explained to him I was not unsatisfied. Maybe my lightbulb moment wasn't as shocking as it might've been, but I still got a lot of pleasure from it. I revelled in the precision, and seeing the final pieces of the puzzle pop into place.



FroHam X

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Re: Shutter Island
« Reply #12 on: February 19, 2010, 11:06:11 PM »
My problem was, and this is obviously big spoilers here, that I quickly guessed that he would be the insane one. And the whole movie I was just hoping that wouldn't be the case. That Scorsesee wouldn't make that film. I thought he was going to make us think that but reverse it in the end, showing it was a conspiracy all along and surprise everyone. But that didn't happen. I found that disappointing. But after that reveal, I felt it ended well anyway.

It also occurred to me early on that this could be the case. It's hard not to think it these days right? Like you point out, it's hardly a new twist. But for myself it was more of a passing thought and not something I hung on to. I didn't see any way to prove that theory at the time so I shelved it and busied myself with taking in the film as it was. I only revisited the idea when they got trapped in the cemetary and his partner started pointing out the "coincidences" of Teddy's situation. But even then there was no way to be certain.

It becomes more and more apparent what the truth is as things go on, and as the film nears the end it's all but certain in your mind. Even so, when he gets to the lighthouse and everything is explained to him I was not unsatisfied. Maybe my lightbulb moment wasn't as shocking as it might've been, but I still got a lot of pleasure from it. I revelled in the precision, and seeing the final pieces of the puzzle pop into place.


Also the twist itself is not what's important. Instead the focus is on what the "twist" actually means for the character. That's why during the big revelation of the twist we get the really long sequence of him coming home and finding the kids and shooting his wife. It's not about the easy reveal. It's about how Teddy's mental state has been shaped. It makes sense then that the only really big jump-scare in the film isn't a scare at all. It's that startlingly loud gunshot when he shoots his wife.
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smirnoff

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Re: Shutter Island
« Reply #13 on: February 19, 2010, 11:12:12 PM »
Well said. His unwinding is something to behold.

And speaking of jump-scares. I cringed so many times expecting to jump at any second, but actually probably only jumped once, and that was at the gun shot you mention. It ended up making a more tense film because of it. After big jump-scares you can unclench. If it never happens and the scene just goes on and on it leaves you pretty tight. Or that was my experience.

I'm getting quoted out of context, I can just feel it coming.  ;)
« Last Edit: February 19, 2010, 11:30:40 PM by smirnoff »

Sam the Cinema Snob

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Re: Shutter Island
« Reply #14 on: February 20, 2010, 12:01:31 AM »
Really? Really! They went with that ending? The most obvious ending that any semi intelligent person could guess in the first five minutes. What a waste.

'Noke

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Re: Shutter Island
« Reply #15 on: February 20, 2010, 12:07:13 AM »
Loved it. Every single moment of it.
I actually consider a lot of movies to be life-changing! I take them to my heart and they melt into my personality.

flieger

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Re: Shutter Island
« Reply #16 on: February 20, 2010, 01:36:45 AM »
Good for you 'Noke! Now where's the review?

Basil

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Re: Shutter Island
« Reply #17 on: February 20, 2010, 02:26:22 AM »
Pretty disappointing stuff. Leo probably wasn't the right choice for this.
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sdedalus

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Re: Shutter Island
« Reply #18 on: February 20, 2010, 03:49:29 AM »
I actually thought it was one of his better performances.  Or at least most convincing at being a grown-up.
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Alan Smithee

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Re: Shutter Island
« Reply #19 on: February 20, 2010, 04:25:11 AM »
They give away the whole movie in the trailer, plus it was pretty easy to guess that Ruffalo wasn't on his side early on too. By the end this movie was like Plinko, and did they really have to show the "incident" scene by then we know loud and clear.


I kept thinking ok your wife's dead and the guys been locked up but you dont want to kill him, so what are you doing then?
« Last Edit: February 20, 2010, 04:27:34 AM by Alan Smithee »

 

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