A Leonardo DiCaprio Movie Is Suddenly Super Popular On Netflix
A Leonardo DiCaprio movie that's often overlooked is blowing up on Netflix right now. It might be one of the scarier films he's ever made.
This article is more than 2 years old
Leonardo DiCaprio is known for starring in some of the world’s biggest movies and taking on Hollywood’s most famous roles. His career is just made up of iconic performances and movies that have entered the general zeitgeist time and time again. And though he’s been part of monster blockbusters, one of his lesser-known movies is blowing up on Netflix right now. Shutter Island is ranked number 10 in the United States for streaming on the platform. It’s very much worth checking out.
Shutter Island is based on the book of the same name by Dennis Lehane and is directed by Martin Scorsese. It was the fourth movie Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio had worked on together following Gangs of New York, The Aviator and The Departed. After this one they would go on to film The Wolf of Wall Street together as well.
Shutter Island takes place in the 1950s with Leonardo DiCaprio playing Teddy Daniels, a federal marshall sent to investigate a disappearance at a mental institution located on the titular island. Daniels is tasked with interviewing and finding the missing patient while also uncovering secrets about the island and facility. Because there is more than meets the eye going on here, and with the marshals trapped on the island because of a storm, a mystery unfolds that has DiCaprio’s character question reality. Unlike other Scorsese and DiCaprio films, this one has a much creepier vibe is meant to be unnerving at times. Here, check out the trailer for Shutter Island:
You can see that the film is meant to put you on edge with both the visuals, side characters, and backdrop of a place that might as well be haunted, but isn’t. In many ways, we are seeing Shutter Island through the eyes of Leonardo DiCaprio and trying to unlock the mystery that always feels just a little out of grasp. It’s a twisting and turning movie meant to keep you on your heels until the very end.
In addition to Leonardo DiCaprio, the rest of the cast is top-notch which is no surprise considering Scorsese is at the helm. Mark Ruffalo plays Chuck Aule, Teddy’s partner in the Marshall service who’s also part of the investigation. Other notable talents include Michelle Williams, Ben Kingsley, Max von Sydow, and Ted Levine. They all add to the unsettling nature of the proceedings, turning a dark tale even darker along the way.
This film didn’t end up being the highest-rated Leonardo DiCaprio out there, but it still performed well with critics and sits at 68% on Rotten Tomatoes. This feels a little low and almost like the actor and director were only being compared against themselves and their previous work. Is it the best of their team-ups? No, but it’s still vastly better than many other movies that were coming out at the time.
Shutter Island was a solid draw at the box office, scoring about $300 million on its $80 million budget. Leonardo DiCaprio was still a draw at this time, back when big-name actors could lead a movie to solid theater turn out. The returns were probably a little lower than forecast but again, this has a different feel than other Scorsese films. It might have been self-excluding for those not looking to get into a scarier affair. But if you are, then this one delivers right up to the very end.
Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are set to team up again soon on their sixth movie. That will be Killers of the Flower Moon which is also adapted from the book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. It is based on a true story about mysterious killings and deaths on a Native American reservation in the 1920s. This one could mix a little of everything from the Scorsese playbook and DiCaprio will star.
Until then, check out Leonardo DiCaprio in a legit mind-twisting film with plenty of surprises. It will have you on the edge of your seat with it leans much more into the psychothriller vibe than almost all of his other movies. Check out Shutter Island on Netflix now.
