"Shutter Island," a psychological thriller guaranteed to give you whiplash with its break-neck twists and turns, leaves the viewer unable to look away from the screen. Set in 1954 off the coast of Boston, “Teddy” Daniels, a United States Marshal portrayed by Leonadro DiCaprio, is sent to Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane, with his partner Chuck Aule, played by Mark Ruffalo, are on the hunt for an escaped patient, Rachael Solando. Once on the island, a storm develops, not only trapping the marshals on the island, but also opening the doors for the psychological battle that consumes Daniel’s mind. Deception of his supposed partner, being forced into taking various drugs to weaken him, and strange actions and slipped sayings of the psychologists within the institution all show how Daniels is being deceived and forced into believing that he is insane when he begins to question the events occurring on the island more and more.

The dark, atmospheric cinematography of the film that Scorsese is known for, deeply rooted plot twists, combined with the hair-raising trill of cellos to aide in the suspenseful mood, as well as grand acting skills of the cast all work together to create a film that captures the attention of viewer, taking them on the psychological stress that Teddy Daniels experiences as the psychologists of Ashecliffe Hospital attempt to convince him that he is insane. Using classic symbolism and literary techniques and styling’s are transferred into a cinema-graphic manner, to encompass the suspenseful, “on-edge” feeling that engages the viewer and brings them back time and time again to alter their interpretation of the very open-ended conclusion.

A great movie for those who love to analyze psychological thrillers, as well as for those who enjoy break-neck twists and turns, Scorsese’s Shutter Island is a must-see, even if just to be stricken by the thriller aspect of it. With great acting, and a grand attempt to convince our main character that he is insane, Scorsese’s film is a brilliant work. The side effects of watching this film, however, include but are not limited to: headaches, whiplash, jump scares, fear of fire, and fear of water, confusion, and general exhaustion. Proceed with caution and an open mind.