4 Shutter Island Scenes That Spoiled Its Epic Final Twist
The movie was trying to tell us the truth the entire time.
If for some reason you've never watched Shutter Island, directed by Martin Scorsese, you should do it ASAP. If you have already seen the movie, you know there's a big final twist, and it's a doozy. But the thing is, the movie laid out a breadcrumb trail of clues throughout the film that hint at the final reveal.
Water Everywhere
Right in the beginning, when the U.S. Marshals Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio ) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo ) approach Shutter Island, Teddy reveals a strong fear of water. While seemingly unimportant, this tidbit is a major hint towards Teddy's traumatic past involving water.
The guards
When Teddy first steps onto the island, the guards suddenly become all tense and alert. They were holding onto their guns tightly, not because they were wary of a law enforcement officer, but because they were dealing with someone they knew was mentally unstable.
The Woman Patient
When the “Marshals” interview other patients about the missing Rachel Salando, if you pay close attention to the background, you'll notice something peculiar.
There's a guard present in the shots featuring the elderly woman and Teddy, but not in Chuck's shots. It's because the guards were there to keep an eye on the two patients — the old woman and Teddy. Chuck, on the other hand, was actually a doctor at the facility, so there was no need for a guard to watch over him.
Moreover, in the same scene, you might have noticed the woman appearing to drink from an invisible glass. This wasn't a blooper, but another clue pointing towards Teddy's fear of water.
The Encounter with George Noyce
Finally, let's revisit the scene where Teddy talks to George Noyce in the ward. George accuses Teddy of being responsible for his injuries and scars. This is later confirmed by the doctor who mentions that a patient had attacked George two weeks ago.
But the most significant hint comes when George tells Teddy, "this is a game. All of this is for you." This cryptic statement was a massive giveaway that everything happening on the island was a carefully orchestrated plan for Teddy.