Something of a departure from Scorsese's back catalogue, Shutter Island sees the acclaimed director tackling a different genre all together – the psychological thriller.

Adapted from the Dennis Lehane novel of the same name, Shutter Island reunites Scorsese with Leonardo Dicaprio on what is their fourth collaboration.

Now, I was a big fan of The Departed and The Aviator, but the less said about The Gangs of New York, the better really. So I was interested to see what the dynamic duo could pull together for their latest collaboration.

Set in 1954, Dicaprio plays U.S. Marshall Edward “Teddy” Daniels. Investigating the disappearance of Rachel Solando, a patient at Shutter Island, we learn that the facility is a hospital for the criminally insane.

As the story progresses, we learn that all is not what it seems on Shutter Island. Teddy suspects the facilities staff of lying and begins to doubt his assigned partner, Chuck (Mark Ruffalo). Pretty soon, he begins to believe there is a bigger conspiracy taking place on the island, involving experiments on the patients and a possible cover-up.

The cast of Shutter Island is very strong and each actor puts in a solid performance. Special mention should go to Michelle Williams, who brings a bleak and sorrowful element to the story, appearing as Teddy's deceased wife during his dreams.

Leonardo Dicaprio is also on top form here, putting in a performance that is both heartbreaking and complex. It's interesting, because as much as I loved Inception, I was never blown away by his performance and watching him in Shutter Island just cements my belief that some actors perform better with certain directors.

It's also good to see heavyweights such as Sir Ben Kingsley, Max Von Sydow, Patricia Clarkson and Ted Levine putting in noteworthy appearances.

The editing in Shutter Island is very choppy, a technique that gives the film a very uneasy feeling, leaving the viewer slightly confused and disorientated. With items disappearing and reappearing in each shot, it is clear that this is all intentional - it is a Scorsese film after all.

Essentially, Shutter Island feels like Scorsese's homage to Kubrick. The film certainly has hints of The Shining and deals with some similar themes.

It's not an easy film to watch, not be a long stretch, but it is very well made and will leave your mind unravelling it days after seeing it. Definitely recommended viewing.