Reel Critics:

It has been said that Martin Scorsese’s films are like opera — always the grand passions, lush sets and swooning photography.

“Shutter Island” is no exception. As two U.S. marshals arrive at a mental hospital for the criminally insane, the music rises to a near-hysterical crescendo. This is an Ominous Portent of Things to Come: a very misguided, if technically brilliant, movie.

Adapted from a novel by Dennis Lehane (“Mystic River”), it’s easy to see how Scorsese and crew would have been lured by a gothic thriller about madness and murder.

Leonardo DiCaprio, his Baahston accent from “The Departed” intact, is investigating the strange disappearance of a patient from the island. Perhaps he’s not the best one for the job, as flashbacks of his own haunted past and piercing migraines begin to plague him. His partner (Mark Ruffalo) and the psychiatrists in charge (Ben Kingsley and Max von Sydow) seem benign and yet untrustworthy.

As if there wasn’t enough going on, there’s also a hurricane coming. Cue shrieking violins, crashing trees and actors dripping with dread.

“Shutter Island” does have scenes of real horror, sort of like “The Shining” crossed with “Silence of the Lambs.” But you feel a little cheated, as it wraps up with more of a whimper than a bang.

A serious man in serious trouble

These are the winter doldrums for the movie business. Major studios don’t release their best films in February and March. That makes it a great time to catch up on worthy movies from last year that you might have missed in theaters but are now available on video or cable.

The Coen Brothers are Oscar-winning directors legendary for their strange but thought-provoking stories. “Fargo,” “The Big Lebowski” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” are just a few examples of their quirky offbeat work.

They often focus on ordinary people making bad decisions about unusual events in their lives.

“A Serious Man” is one of their most personal efforts. It features many unknown actors plus a heaping spoonful of Jewish anecdotes and references. Michael Stuhlbarg stars as a college professor living a middle-class life in the American heartland. Going about his daily routines, he doesn’t have a clue that his entire life is about to unravel.

In the space of a few days, his whole world is suddenly put on the Coen Brothers’ chopping block of fate. His job, marriage, moral compass and even his sanity are all in real jeopardy. As in all their movies, this one features equal parts adult drama, comedy and social satire. Predictable events join with bizarre developments to produce head-shaking moments. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it might be food for thought.

SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a financial services company. JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office.