Shutter Island Explained | Classic Explained Episode 17

Thank you for voting! Shutter Island Ending Explained / Shutter Island Explained / Shutter Island Movie Explained is Episode 17 in the Classic Explained series. I love this movie and I'm really glad it was so highly voted, so here is my analysis and explanation of the movie and the ending. Hope you like it!
Shutter Island starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo, and Michelle Williams, directed by Martin Scorsese is a 2010 psychological thriller horror movie. Tune into this Lucas Blue Explained to find out the meaning of Shutter Island. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. I would love to discuss!
This is a spoiler-filled Shutter Island Explained video by Lucas Blue.
Let me know your thoughts about Shutter Island or any of your favorite psychological horror films in the comments below. I love hearing the opinions!
Outro Song: Let Go
Listen here: smarturl.it/sonorouspletgo
Director: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio - Mark Ruffalo - Ben Kingsley - Michelle Williams

[@lucasblue20]

Hope this offers some new insights! What were your theories and ideas about Shutter Island? I would love to discuss!

[@IMFLondon]

Your maturity and insight for a 24 yo is astounding! Hope you aren't too neurotic. Jk

[@NN-mr5lw]

@@IMFLondon 😀

[@lucasblue20]

@as ds haha I swear I'm not neurotic, it's just lots of fun sharing my ideas, and I'm so happy you enjoy them! Thank you so much!!

[@gabruel]

Man, I'm not even going to talk about the movie, I just really want to say thank you for all the content you make. I've seen many movie breakdown channels and I haven't yet found something like yours. You do really have an unique and acute way of articulate and present your argumentation and yet leave a space for the viewer to formulate their own. So, for all of that, once again, I thank you and I hope more people find your channel because They're sure missing out on it.

[@lucasblue20]

Woww this is touching to read, thank you so much! It's really fulfilling to hear kind words like this, and I'm so happy the videos bring you a new angle of appreciation for film because that's always been my goal. Plenty more analyses are on the way starting March 11, so feel free to send movie suggestions! Thank you so much again for everything!!

[@ginap4386]

As the daughter of a mother with a severe mental illness (my mother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and medicated herself with alcohol before she died) I can confirm what you said about those of us who have or have had family members with severe mental illness will feel more empathy toward the people in these institutions. I think experiencing it up close with a family member is the only thing that will give a person true empathy and belief that they are real people with real emotions. They are not one-sided monsters but humans who are multi-faceted with conflicting emotions and ideas, just like regular people. They experience the world differently but they still experience the world. And in a way, don't we all experience the world differently? Growing up with her has certainly molded my views of the world and how those people are treated by those who don't truly understand them. Thank you for your interpretation.

[@lucasblue20]

I can't explain how touched I am by your input. I couldn't imagine what you've been through, but I'm grateful that you've shared some of your experience here. It's so important for us to hear. Your words remind us to recognize humanity, no matter how far away it may seem. Thank you so much for this.

[@InspireCreate43]

I really enjoyed your thoughts about empathy in this film, I never considered those ideas being tied to the theme(s) of this story. Awesome work as always, thanks man!

[@lucasblue20]

Thank you so much bro! I'm so glad I could bring some light to the idea of empathy in this movie because I feel like it elevates this movie to more than just the fascinating puzzle that it is. I'm so glad you appreciated that and enjoyed! Thank you again!!

[@untrillbo]

When you consider the storm and how teddy is told it’s just part of his psychosis it’s pretty clear the doctors are attempting to drive him insane.

[@mylesmarkson1686]

And there's so much more... How about the ridiculous premise of playing along with someone's delusions to bring them back to reality? How does that make any sense? And then Cawley calls him the "most-dangerous" patient which makes it even more ridiculous to let him have free reign of the island. And then they have this awful storm where the patients in Ward C are roaming free, and they STILL don't put an end to the roleplay? And remember how Cawley refers to the note that was found as Teddy's Rule of 4, when it was obviously Cawley himself who had planted it there. Teddy couldn't have left it for himself--It was in the female ward. And people on the other side love to dismiss any evidence in Teddy's favor as hallucinations (like Sheehan adding to his delusions or cave-lady Rachel's speech), but anything that fits their narrative actually happened. You can't pick and choose people. Either the whole movie happened, or none of it did.

[@TeamTango]

Very interesting interpretation, but i have to disagree with you in regards to teddy not actually being a ww2 vet and us marshall. His skills in firearms is very high where else would he get all that training. Martine Scorsesce makes it abundently clear that teddy knows how to fight and is clearly proficient with firearms where else would he get this training. Everything else in the breakdown is spot on. Great video

[@geobrad7]

Yeah I think he may not remember it accurately (like maybe the U.S. soldiers didn’t gun down all the Nazi guards). But my interpretation was that he had some background in WWII and possibly the Marshals Service. Then that his delusions began to form around the time of the traumatic incident with the wife and kids.

[@TeamTango]

@@geobrad7 yeah something like that

[@lucasblue20]

Yeah you could be totally right! And I'm super glad you enjoyed, thank you so much!!

[@yucky-yucky]

this is one of my favorite movies of all time

[@connorclark9767]

Absolutely loving all of these!

[@lucasblue20]

This is so fulfilling to hear, thank you! There are many more on the way, so I'm really glad you're enjoying!!

[@mylesmarkson1686]

You talk about the conversation with Chuck in the mausoleum as not making sense for either side, but I think it does make sense for the "Teddy is really Teddy" side. Chuck is trying really hard to gain Teddy's confidence, and you can tell that he is succeeding throughout the film. When Chuck disappears, Teddy is looking all over for him, risking his life climbing down the dangerous cliff and braving to swim the evil water to reach the lighthouse. George Noyce and Cave-lady Rachel warn Teddy about him, but he doesn't listen and thinks that he has really found a true friend. The speech that Chuck gives at the mausoleum ("What if when you were looking into them, they were looking into you?") really makes Teddy feel like Chuck is on his side and that they are a team trying to solve the mystery of this island together. Now as for the "Teddy is Andrew" side, I agree that it doesn't help the cause at all to feed his delusions when they insist that all they're trying to do is bring him back to reality. I wish that Teddy would've brought that up at the lighthouse, and I doubt that Sheehan would've had a half-decent answer.

[@juandiegotrujillo9273]

Man, I’m watching this a year later after you posted it, really I just stumbled upon it, and let me say, I take my hat off. Amazing analysis, concrete evidence, excellent association of events and incredibly engaging. Congratulations man

[@lucasblue20]

This means so much to me my friend! Thank you so much!!

[@LauraEDavis]

love this so much. all of what ive learned in dialectical behavioral therapy is that yes, AND. the idea that two seemingly opposing ideas can both be true. and there are third and fourth ideas too. i think the ambiguity allows for there to literally be two stories being told at once. one where there is a huge conspiracy in the mental health care system that's exploiting our most vulnerable AND one where people are desperately trying to help someone and move away from that exploitation. because in life, both happen. just like people who commit horrible acts also loved someone, experienced joy and pain, we're once innocent children who were most likely horrifically abused. all people contain good and bad. everyone. it is so hard to see this in others, but most of all ourselves. because acknowledging the bad seems to negate the good. YES, AND... bad doesn't negate good. are some people never coming back from their wrongdoings? but we should still try, just in case we're wrong. we should keep searching for ways to better ourselves and humanity. i loved this movie, it really encapsulated what gaslighting feels like, bc in both scenarios he was gaslighted to some extent. so much to say about this film. thanks for your take.

[@NN-mr5lw]

Excellent, Lucas!

[@lucasblue20]

Thank you so much!!

[@afv726]

Great analysis thank you. I think the last line really summarises a general movie theme about the truth being harder to accept than the lie. In many films, like this, the character chooses to be happy in the fantasy as opposed to unhappy in reality. I think a film which one can make MANY direct parallels with (in theme, characters and structure) is MOMENTO, it's almost uncanny.

[@lucasblue20]

It's crazy that you say that because I've always felt like this is the most "Nolan-esque" Scorsese movie. The style of dialogue, the emotions of the characters, and the subjective story all reminds me of Christopher Nolan. And yes, the many parallels with Memento are certainly there on the topic of living a lie. Also, The Dark Knight has a very similar line, "You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become a villain." So I'm really glad you brought this up! Thank you so much for watching, I'm super glad you enjoyed!!

[@Prodbyjah464]

@@lucasblue20 me too honestly, shutter island is so much different fro Scorseses usual mafia movies to the point where it feels like a classic nolan psychological film like memento prestige or insomnia in the sense that Scorsese presents a puzzle that is very ambiguous that can be continuously unravelled the more you watch it.

[@utkarshjha5255]

@@lucasblue20 can't believe someone else also has the same idea, this movie along with MEMENTO, INSOMNIA, THE MACHINIST, THE PRESTIGE, OLDBOY deal with truth/lies/fooling yourself... I absolutely love movies that revolve around this specific theme..

[@31webseries]

I didn't even know the ending was a question, at least not the roleplay part. He was in WWll though and a US Marshall as well. He was sent there because he was dangerous both by being crazy and having those skills. I've also always had issues about the ending because while I yeah he's sane and doesn't want to live with the burden of what he's done by not proving the treatment a success he's condemning a lot more people to lobotomies and I know the character isn't really thinking of that but I always get this Beatrice Horseman flashback when he says it.

[@johnmedeiros8553]

This movie makes you choose between the human level of mental illness and the clinical realities of the treatment. The first time I watched I was rooting for Leo and against the hospital...after watching this I feel a little foolish 😅

[@mylesmarkson1686]

If you want to focus on mental illness, then how about the sanity of Dr. Cawley himself? Everything he did was 100% cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!

[@mylesmarkson1686]

This is my favorite review on this film as it considers the possibility of both the role-play and brainwashing takes on it. Every other one that I've seen doesn't even want to acknowledge the fact that an alternate take exists. I also agree that the scene with George Noyce is crucial to the understanding of the film, and they obviously kept the dialogue ambiguous in that scene so that it could go either way. On the brainwashing-side, the "You can't search for Laeddis and discover the truth at the same time" line could mean that Laeddis doesn't exist (being an anagram that Dr. Cawley created along with Rachel Solando), so there's no truth to find there. The role-play side insists that he IS Laeddis (and that Noyce is well-aware of that), but if that's the case, then why didn't he just come out and say it? Also, everything in that conversation aligns perfectly with what Teddy told Chuck about Noyce. He even brings up Dedham, and Noyce doesn't say "What are you talking about?", so that makes me think that Teddy really did meet and become friends with him at this other prison. Well-done on this video Lucas. I'm impressed!

[@gregmize01]

YOU'RE CORRECT, ALTHOUGH I DO BELIEVE HE WAS IN WWII.

[@jimjasutis5046]

I just saw this movie for the first time. I was convinced that the ending was just what you described but went looking here to see if anyone else felt as I did. Thanks for the analysis.

[@lucasblue20]

Anytime my friend! It’s super cool to see we agree and I’m really glad u checked out some commenters’ theories. A lot of them are super fresh. Thanks so much for watching!!

[@jimjasutis5046]

@@lucasblue20 This is not my usual kind of movie, and I don't know anyone who has seen it, to talk about it with. It was a wonderful surprise to find someone discussing it. I kind of wonder what kind of person could watch this film and come away thinking that the doctors were really some kind of mad scientists doing cruel experiments on their patients. Personally I am not known as a particularly positive upbeat kind of person. I am more like the guy in the comics who walks around with a dark rain cloud hanging over his head. Someone would have to be pretty dark to look at those doctors as villains.

[@lucasblue20]

@@jimjasutis5046 yeah I guess it all depends on perspective. At first, I actually really suspected that Dr. Cawley was up to something sinister, but over time, I felt the opposite way. It’s pretty cool how this movie manages to split people with perspectives that can be so distant from one another on the spectrum, all the while, you and I happen to land at the same place haha

[@brienkaradizian4100]

yet another banger

[@lucasblue20]

Haha thank you so much, my friend! Plenty more to come!!

[@Kaiyro]

This is perfect

[@damianstarks3338]

This movie is great glade to se you doing a review on it.

[@lucasblue20]

Thank you, I loved the film as well!!

[@damianstarks3338]

@@lucasblue20 👍🏾👍🏾

[@scottstephenson724]

I like the breakdown but you’re 100 percent wrong about his background not being Military or a marshal.

[@mylesmarkson1686]

Even creepy Cawley admits that he was in the war.

[@brookebenton2058]

Great video! I loved this movie, but it is certainly more ambiguous in its ending than the book. If you're interested you should give it a read and see if your opinion changes!

[@lucasblue20]

Yeah, I heard that the ending of the book is just confirmation that Teddy is mentally ill. And I would love to read that book. I think I'll add it to my beach reads list when summer comes around. Thank you so much for watching!!

[@Goimyboy]

Thanks, great video! For me, the alternative interpretation is an interesting thought, but there are just too many things that don’t add up - a classic example of over-Interpretation..

[@officerkd6-3.76]

Can you review and explain Evolution, 2015 French film? I think it’s a movie that fits your content, and I also can’t find any other KZbinrs who really explain it well. Would be great 👍🏻

[@NN-mr5lw]

The Lucile Hadzihalilovic's one? Yep, it was a strange one, visually quite enchanting. Usually those french films can be quite snobbish and artificially elusive but I quite liked this one. It made me think about the metaphore of the axolotl or at least as I see it : a strange little creature that can stay in a state of neoteny unless it undergoes some traumatic experience and external intervention. In that sense, the main theme, I think, is about metamorphosis and painful growing up.

[@lucasblue20]

I've never heard of this movie, but it looks incredibly trippy based on the art, stills, and synopsis. I've added it to my list for future polls. Thank you!!

[@officerkd6-3.76]

@@NN-mr5lw yes it is very strange but something about it was so nice to watch

[@officerkd6-3.76]

@@lucasblue20 thank you!!

[@officerkd6-3.76]

@@lucasblue20 also what about revolutionary road?

[@agathafry4233]

Just watched The Green Knight last night and thought you might have some great insights. I watched a Jonathan Pageau vid about it 🤢 and know that someone like yourself could do way more justice to this deeply symbolic film. For your consideration. ✌️

[@agathafry4233]

“To live as a monster or die as a good man.” This is a central theme of The Green Knight as well. “Death” through refinement. Lobotomy and decapitation. Two great films. Thanks for your analysis.

[@lucasblue20]

Very true, that is a central theme in the Green Knight. I saw the movie in the fall and I knew it would be one that would be perfect for a video, but would surely take time to put together. I really enjoyed the movie so I'll include it in my next poll this Tuesday at 5 pm pst. Thank you for reaching out!!

[@geobrad7]

I agree. Would love to see your breakdown of Green Knight!

[@skylerdow8539]

You got to mention it’s based on a book.

[@DebraKeyes-ib8rg]

But Andrews intake sheet saod he actually was a us marshall... So you wasn't even paying attention to everything in the movie.

[@iiota]

He also takes his gun out of the holster like someone that’s done it a thousand times vs Ruffalo who struggles to unholster his

[@fmstori]

The medicine and treatment causes and increase their behavior my mom died in Arkansas Mental Facility and the state protected all involved

[@Winter-Alpha-Omega]

It would be great if you could analyse Sucker Punch, from Zack Snyder.

[@lucasblue20]

I've never seen Sucker Punch but I've heard it's pretty underrated and has so much style, also the ending apparently is vague. So yeah, I'll add this to my Classics Explained polls list and hopefully it wins! Thank you for the unique suggestion!!

[@Winter-Alpha-Omega]

@@lucasblue20 No problem. I've binged all of your videos as of late. They're really good and you deserve way more subscribers. Sucker Punch I must admit is not everyone's cup of tea, but if there is one film full of themes, it is We Need to Talk About Kevin. That would also be a great option. It dwells in themes like guilt, what it means to be a mother, wether your kids are copies of yourself and other profound stuff I'm sure you'd enjoy.

[@lucasblue20]

@@Winter-Alpha-Omega Just saw this comment, thank you so much for keeping up, it means so much that you enjoy! I just looked up We Need to Talk About Kevin and read the synopsis. This movie looks very dark and sad, but also I think it would be perfect for a video. Every theme you've mentioned seems like something that would be fleshed out really nicely with this one, all super fascinating ideas to me. I've added it to my polls list. Thank you so much for the suggestion!!

[@Winter-Alpha-Omega]

@@lucasblue20 Yes, it is a very sad film, but also thought-provoking and the cinematography's incredible. No worries, I wish I could contribute with money, yet I don't have a job and well, the situation around my life is a bit tightened at the moment. But anyways, your videos are very nice and they make people happy. I think you should feel proud about that.

[@lucasblue20]

@@Winter-Alpha-Omega Wow thank you! Yeah it’s important for me to remember that people genuinely have fun watching the videos, I’m just so happy to share my ideas. It’s really great to hear that from you. And you don’t have to send any money, don’t worry about that at all. I’m just enjoying the process, plus I make some money off of the ads from my bigger videos, so it’s all good. Thank you so much for your kind words. I’ll be back to my regular schedule of weekly videos very soon!!

[@bumpercarjoe6391]

You need to “get that technical” when trying to distinguish reality for insanity… I have been having dreams lately and waking up thinking for hours or even days that they were real… Sanity is a slippery slope. I grew up in the shadows of Kings Park Psych Center that we always thought was the largest in the country… but then as i explore the country I see these relics littered throughout!

[@chaitanyagodbole9878]

❤

[@user-hj1vo8xy4u]

Okay so this is My question was he carzy

[@babyshaker8932]

This film is about MK ultra on a man with PTSD . Try again

[@mylesmarkson1686]

He's a friggin' rat in a maze!

[@TheSuperboy6]

More longer videos lol maybe a little too much but remake some of your older videos to make them longer like the invitation

[@lucasblue20]

I'm super glad you like the longer videos, I always make the videos as long as the movie demands from me (if that makes sense) but yeah, if I ever analyze the invitation, I think that will be a lengthier one. Thank you for letting me know!!

[@turost3034]

so im 10 minutes in and pretty dissapointed with this video. your other videos i've watched usually analyze themes and aspects of a film that aren't immediately apparent when watching it for the first time. i even commented specifically praising you for not doing what i've seen other "ending explained" channels do, which is just a linear retelling of a movies plot. however, this video feels like an exception. you're not really analyzing or finding themes here, you're just explaining what the film is already telling us pretty clearly. again, dissapointing.

[@dymondkittync]

I disagree. He thoroughly went into the themes. He also outlines exactly what he's going to go over before it even starts. Maybe watch videos in full before commenting?

[@turost3034]

@@dymondkittync why would i waste my time on something i feel is going nowhere

[@Unglued98]

Whyyy yoouuu taaaalk liiikeee thiis