Insomnia (2002)

Gripping thriller

Insomnia is a good thriller thats worth buying for many reasons:

Its a top notch cast. Al Pacino gives one of his his finest late performances as the detective who can't sleep investigating a murder. Robin Williams matches Pacino in his second great role that year (see One Hour Photo for the other), and the always good Hilary Swank gives a very good performance supporting the two main leads.

The director is Christopher Nolan (Memento, Batman Begins, The Prestige), who seems to have a natural talent for these type of films. He does a fine job with the actors as well as capturing the sometimes haunting nature of the Alaskan landscape. Nolan is helped by a taught script, and with a running time of less than 2 hours, you will find it difficult to sleep through.

I haven't seen the original 1997 version of this film. From what I've heard its the better of the two, which means it must be very good. However for a mainstream Hollywood movie this remake is remarkably restrained and makes compulsive viewing.
June 25, 2008

Insomnia is a Good Suspense Movie

"Insomnia" is a combination of cat and mouse suspense between the murderer in this movie played by Robin Williams & that of a seasoned, hot shot, LA detective played by Al Pacino AND whether or not Pacino's character is in fact a good cop or good cop made into a bad cop by the system.

The acting and storyline are good, but not great in "Insomnia". Robin Williams isn't as convincing as the bad guy in this movie and the movie could have been a tad less predictable in the ending, but otherwise a good movie overall.

April 27, 2008

"Wild card!"

2002's "Insomnia" is one of the most quietly melancholy American movies I've ever seen--all the characters (with the exception of Hillary Swank's annoyingly idealistic female detective Ellie Burr) are somehow grimy and have something to hide.

Robin Williams plays a really good creep. "One Hour Photo" was a movie with a lot of potential that ultimately went nowhere, but he sure makes up for it here as the effeminate failed writer and murderer of a 17 year old girl. Williams successfully underplays the role of a neurotic psychopath (Walter Finch) whose pathos we see emerge in the smallest and most pivotal moments, thereby making them even more disturbing.

The cinematography is damn near perfect--the Alaskan wilderness is a perfect backdrop for Det Will Dormer's (Al Pacino) psychological meltdown and inability to sleep. The time zone and his entire life is closing in on him slowly: a previous investigation in which he planted evidence to convict another child killer is beginning to catch up with him. On top of this, his younger partner (Martin Donovan) is forced to make a deal with internal affairs about the matter. As if things could get worse, he accidentally shoots and kills him in a foggy gun battle where Finch is lurking.

He is then forced to sink so low as to collaborate with Finch himself, who orchestrated the incident precisely for control of not only his fate but Dormer's. The whole theme of dishonesty, even in the service of a just cause, gracefully winds around Dormer's neck like a noose. The ending is as devastating as the entire film, with Swank's character given the hope of redemption out of all this corruption. A must see.

April 21, 2008

reveals disturbing themes

This movie takes all my assumptions about writers and police work and puts these themes together in a manner that coincides with disturbing psychological disorientation. Once the writer starts sucking up as much danger as he can make contact with, the plot is twisted enough to make all the confusion expected instead of surprising, but if you pay attention, you can twist in the wind right along with it. March 17, 2008

An Very Good Pacino Vehicle

"Insomnia" is a 2002 film that explores the inner workings of a top detective (Al Pacino as Wll Dormer) as he nears the end of a brillant career as a police investigator, who is so feed up with the obviously guilty going free that he's starting to compromise his vaulted integrity to make sure justice is done.

The wild beauty of the Alaskian landscape should have gotten second-billing behind Pacino, as it plays an intregral in several parts of the movie. As it is, Hilary Swank, Robin Williams and Paul Dooley are memorable in their roles as an eager police detective, a murder suspect, and the crusty local police chief, respectively.

How does it all mesh? Well, indeed, as an increasingly tired Dormer (played well, as usual, by Pacino) careens from mistake to coverup, until he has a change of heart, salvaging his career along the way.

However, Amazon lists this as an 'essential video'. It's a good movie, but it's not in the league of, say, Casablanca, The Wizard of Oz, The Seven Samuri, and so on.

I'd rate this a four-star film. Recommended, primarily of Pacino's usual excellent acting. Williams is also notable for his low-keyed, everyman, but chilly, role. December 5, 2007

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