Dark secrets - Entertainment, Movies - Navy Times

Dark secrets

A “dark and stormy night” is raging at the heart of the psychological thriller “Shutter Island.” But before you give a dismissive “been there, done that” wave of the hand, there’s something you should know:

This particular dark and stormy night is being whipped up by the tightly wound Martin Scorsese, who is incapable of making a movie that doesn’t penetrate to your bone marrow.

And while the film’s framework feels B-movie familiar, the talents of Scorsese, his top-shelf crew and cast propel it to a higher level — one that qualifies as art.

“Shutter Island” reunites Scorsese for a fourth time with Leonardo DiCaprio, who gave Scorsese the performance of his career in “The Departed” — and surpasses that here in a demanding and complex role.

It’s 1954, and U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) has been tapped to investigate the disappearance of a patient at Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, a forbidding facility that is home to “the worst of the worst,” situated on a rocky, wind-whipped island in Boston Harbor that makes Alcatraz look downright homey.

The fugitive, Rachel Solando, committed after drowning her three young kids, has vanished without a trace from a locked cell.

Daniels and his brand-new partner, Chuck Aule (the underrated Mark Ruffalo), pick up a spooky vibe from the moment they set foot on the island.

No one seems eager to cooperate with the investigation, least of all the maddeningly obtuse head headshrinker, Dr. Cawley (Ben Kinglsey), and his ex-Nazi colleague Dr. Naehring (Max von Sydow), who instantly rankles Teddy, a veteran of the liberation of Dachau in the waning days of World War II.

Adding more spice to the stew is the fact that Teddy’s interest in the case isn’t purely professional; his wife (Michelle Williams, seen in flashback and dream scenes), died in an arson set by a firebug whom Teddy believes is now a patient at Ashecliffe.

As the mystery deepens, we’re treated to a sublime series of cameos from Ted Levine as Ashecliffe’s warden, John Carroll Lynch as his deputy, Emily Mortimer and Patricia Clarkson as the missing patient (don’t worry, it makes sense in the end, sort of), and Elias Koteas and Jackie Earle Haley (Kelly Leak of “Bad News Bears” fame about a hundred years ago) as inmates with dark secrets.

To say any more about the story would ruin a dense, lovingly constructed labyrinth that holds surprises around every corner, leading up to a knockout twist.

The film’s atmosphere benefits from its period setting, a time of Cold War paranoia, government conspiracies and lovely new therapies for mental disorders like lobotomies through the eye socket and a kicky new drug called Thorazine.

The elegant craftsmanship of Scorsese and Co. underscores how technical competence — let alone expertise — is so often lacking in films these days.

Fans of cinema artistry will find plenty to savor. The film’s “look” is simply gorgeous, from Dante Ferretti’s elaborate production design to Robert Richardson’s rich cinematography — topped, of course, by the trademark virtuosity of Scorsese’s camera work. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of those classic long tracking shots.

At two and a half hours, Scorsese and screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis, staying fairly true to Dennis Lehane’s novel, begin to dawdle a bit in winding up for their big twist. This sparks a gnawing pang of impatience that detracts, ever so slightly, from that haymaker’s impact when it finally comes.

Still, even in the late going, the film is never less than gripping. “Shutter Island” is an old-fashioned thriller decked out in modern bling — with all the savory Scorsese trimmings.

RATING

• 3.5 stars (out of 4)

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Rated R for extreme violence and language. Got a rant or rave about the movies? E-mail cvinch@atpco.com.