Movie: Shutter Island

This is the second movie of Leonardo Dicaprio I've watched- after Titanic HAHA I saw a post on www.weibo.com, recommended this movie, emphasized Dicaprio's acting. I'd searched for this movie before - long time ago - so I started that movie with my preconceived outline of the movie. I thought the real mental patient was among the staffs on the island- mayb the nurse, the guards or even the doctor.

This movie was described as "Movie for the high IQ's". At first I was doubted about that, but when the last scene featured, I was TOTALLY agreed with that =P

As a matter of fact, the main character of the movie, Teddy Daniels was the most serious patient on the island: Andrew Laeddis. Andrew was a mental patient who killed his wife and indirectly killed his children. He was suffering in split personality disorder by creating "Teddy Daniels" and "Rachel Solando". He "created" and "acted" as a marshal named Teddy who has a task - find the lost patient, Rachel Solando and find out the secret of the Ashecliffe.

In fact, the whole movie was a play, set by Dr. Cawley who wanted to cure and save Andrew Laeddis from lobotomy ( a surgery which will remove the person's memory ). All the staffs were in the play to recall Laeddis' memory. I don't really know this part before I read an analysis about this movie XD

Here's the interpretation of the details:

Teddy can't stomach the water
( Laeddis' children was drowned)

The guards take it serious when the "marshals", Teddy and Chuck (Andrew Laeddis
and Dr. Sheehan) reach the port because Andrew is the most dangerous patient
in the Ashecliff.

Dr. Sheehan acted the partner of Teddy. The awkward moment when
Dr.Sheehan hardly surrender his pistol ( because he wasn't a real marshal )

Dr.Cawley and Dr. Sheehan specially put 2 pairs of men's shoe in
"Rachel Solando" wardrobe, to arouse Andrew's doubt.
But it fails because Andrew's defense mechanism refuse to "obeserve" the "doubt".
Who will accept a doubt that will spoil their own-created story?

The staffs were laughing when one of the nurse said about Rachel, said that
she complaint about the food constantly. They laughed because
"Rachel" was Andrew- he is the one complaining- but
"Teddy" doesn't understand.

 Mrs. Kearns wrote on the left page

But the word "run" occured on the right page

Mrs. Kearns drinking without a glass.

 The 3 scenes show that this is Andrew's hallucination, obviously. The director purposely set all this. Sad to say, I missed to spot them until I read the interpretation.. HAHA!

From Andrew's hair, we know that the
wind is blowing towards south.

But the smoke is blown toward the north.

     Both of these illogical scene also shows that all this was just Andrew's imagination. 

Other screenshot in the movie:

Rachel Solando- a role of the split personality disorder of Andrew Laeddis.

This nurse was acting the "fake" Rachel Solando.
She is so good in her acting! She's beautiful indeed =P

Dr. Cawley showed Laeddis his own daughter in order to recall his memory.

Andrew regained consciousness but still act like
he didn't and said "Which would be worse - to live as a monster, or to die as a good man? "

Dr. Cawley felt so depressed and sad, watching Andrew Laeddis
being brought away- his efforts were no cure for Andrew.

Last scene
( Andrew Laeddis was brought for the lobotomy )

In a nutshell, this movie is quite complicated. It would be better if you watch after understanding the details because you can focus on the acting skill of the actor and actress. Anyway, this movie doesn't impress me much. I would give a mark of 6 out 10.


Movie Link: http://www.qvod123.net/Player.asp?29599,5,6,2.html (with chinese and english subtitle)