Martin Scorsese is behind some of the best movies of all time, but there’s one movie he regrets making, and I have to agree. Martin Scorsese has explored different genres in his career as a filmmaker, but he has mostly stood out for his crime and gangster movies, most notably Goodfellas and The Departed.
As good as his movies are, Scorsese has also had some misses in his career. Some of his early movies, like Who’s That Knocking at My Door and Boxcar Bertha, are considered among his weakest works, along with The Age of Innocence, which is different from most of his movies. However, there’s one movie Scorsese regrets making, and I agree.
Why Martin Scorsese Regrets Shutter Island
In 2010, the neo-noir psychological thriller Shutter Island was released. Based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane, Shutter Island takes the audience back to 1954 to meet Edward “Teddy” Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio), a U.S. Marshal arriving at Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane on the тιтle island with his new partner, Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo).
Teddy and Chuck are taken there to investigate the disappearance of a patient named Rachel Solando, who was committed there after drowning her children. Rachel seems to have done the perfect escape, but the more Teddy investigates her disappearance and the case, the more confusing and disturbing it all becomes.
Shutter Island has a now-infamous twist, and it ultimately leaves a couple of plot holes. Despite this, Shutter Island got mostly positive reviews, and it currently holds a 69% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, along with a 77% popcornmeter score. Shutter Island isn’t a bad movie, but Scorsese isn’t fond of it.
Speaking to GQ, Scorsese shared that winning an Oscar was what encouraged him to make another movie, which was Shutter Island – however, he admitted that, instead of this movie, he should have gone on to do Silence, his 2016 epic historical drama and a long-time pᴀssion project of his, which he had been developing for over two decades.
Martin Scorsese (finally) won an Oscar for The Departed in 2007. At the time of writing, it’s still his only Oscar.
Given the many different movies Scorsese has made in his career, I’m surprised to see that Shutter Island is one he (discreetly) regrets making, but I do agree. Shutter Island isn’t what many would consider a “Scorsese movie”, and while it’s not inherently bad, and it does have many strengths, it’s definitely one of his weaker works.
Shutter Island Is Unquestionably One Of Scorsese’s Weaker Movies
As mentioned above, Shutter Island isn’t a bad movie, but compared to the rest of Scorsese’s works, it definitely ranks among his weakest movies. Thriller is a genre that Scorsese hasn’t visited often, but he had already done so successfully in 1991 with his remake of Cape Fear, so it goes to show that Shutter Island’s genre wasn’t the problem.
Shutter Island has an uneven pace, being too slow in some parts that visually clash with some of Scorsese’s fast camerawork. In terms of narrative, Shutter Island gets messy and becomes convoluted, especially after the big twist is revealed, and the twist itself has been labeled as “predictable” and even nonsensical, especially when looking at the specifics of it within the story.
On the other hand, the strengths of Shutter Island are its performances, particularly those of DiCaprio and Ben Kingsley, and it explores complex themes like guilt, loss, and grief. Shutter Island also manages to create an unsettling, claustrophobic atmosphere that enhances the mystery and suspense, so Shutter Island isn’t what one could call a “failure.”
Scorsese’s Signature Traits Are Diluted In Shutter Island
Perhaps one of the biggest problems with Shutter Island, and a big reason why it ranks among his weakest works, is that it doesn’t quite feel like a Scorsese movie. While it does have sH๏τs, camerawork, and editing in his style, Shutter Island either has a diluted version of Scorsese’s signature traits or these are completely absent.
While Shutter Island is character-driven like any other Scorsese movie, it lacks emotional resonance. Shutter Island favors disturbing imagery in Teddy’s flashbacks to get an emotional response from the audience instead of getting it through its characters’ journeys and complexities, which is unlike what Scorsese usually does.
Shutter Island has also been labeled as “formulaic”, which is especially interesting given that it was the first movie Scorsese made after the success of The Departed. Shutter Island does have many flaws, and it lacks those traits that make a Scorsese movie, but as a thriller (regardless of its director), it works.
Shutter Island Being A “Weak” Scorsese Movie Proves How Good The Director’s Work Has Been
Shutter Island is a good watch, especially for those into thrillers, but as a Scorsese movie, it isn’t the best ‐ however, this speaks volumes about the quality of Scorsese’s work. Shutter Island isn’t the worst Scorsese movie, and it’s an enjoyable and engaging thriller even if it’s a weak movie in Scorsese’s career.
If Shutter Island, which is a good movie, is a weak one among Scorsese’s movies, it only further shows how great his work generally is. Shutter Island doesn’t negatively affect Martin Scorsese’s legacy, as he has more hits than misses, and it’s a must-watch for fans of the legendary filmmaker and those who want to see a different side of him and his work.
Source: GQ.
