Insomnia [2002]

Evading the heat of an Internal Affairs investigation, Los Angeles hotshot homicide cop Dormer (Pacino) flies north to Alaska to dig into the murder of a local girl--but a botched trap for the killer leads to a foggy shoot-out that goes wrong. This leads to an alliance between the cop and the killer, who offers Dorma a nasty bargain. Making the situation worse is the fact that Dormer can't sleep, his body clock thrown off by the 24-hour thin sunlight of the town of Nightmute, which affords Pacino a chance to crawl deeply inside a flawed hero on the point of cracking up. There's one terrific chase scene, with two clumsy middle-aged guys, leading to an intense and memorable peril. It slightly over-eggs the original story, with a Hollywooden tinge, but it's still compelling, grown-up drama. --Kim Newman

On the DVD: Insomnia offers a wealth of DVD special features, most of which can be found inside the "Production Diaries", including a splendid making-of featurette filled with great cinematography and a haunting soundtrack. There is also an interesting documentary short on insomnia the condition, relating the problems sleep deprivation can cause. The commentaries take a new angle by asking relevant cast and crew members to comment on a scene specific to them rather than listening to the whole film with a commentary, which is refreshing and a concise way of providing the information. --Nikki Disney

Starring three Oscar winners, Insomnia follows its artistic pacing without losing any commercial attraction. Al Pacino, a top favourite of mine, is prominent again as a sleep-losing yet conscionable veteran cop, occasionally losing his mind but never losing his heart. Robin Williams, gives a convincing flick of a devil shielded with a writer's position. He's shrewd and almost controlling before you, yet fragile and vulnerable behind. The only regret is that the character was reduced at it's screenplay level, with only forty minutes screen time. Williams leads the role as a dominant yet also an undercurrent, with a dark impact, which was insinuated in the endless shining set and Al Pacino's progressive sleeplessness.

Beyond these two men's insomnia circle, Swank, portrayed an idolizing yet astute enough young cop, timely refreshing you and rightfully-oriented when you are becoming fatigued and confused with the two men's psychological battle. Slightly pale yet still lovable at the same time. Maura Tierney also lends a helping hand as the Hotel manager who sympathises with Pacino's character.

Director Chris Nolan covered all these twists with atmospheric directing, not showing off yet blatant which, normally seen in Hollywood thrillers, restrains story-telling and thought-evoking. He delivered a masterpiece which you can see many times without being bored.


Unsettlingly Brilliant!   September 5, 2005
C. O'toole (co. down N ireland)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

This is an incredible tour de force from an up and coming young british director, his first hollywood scale film after the brilliant Memento(2000) and the resultant cv landed him the job of resurrecting the dark knight which he did spectacularly in june'05. Insomnia carries on the same nolan audio visual experience, he has a gift in melding beautiful imagery to appropriately restrained classical music and his style is seen in all apparently disparate films to date! Blurred whitish shapes come into focus as a glacial ice field amid classical music and a tiny sea plane is framed in the foreground as a frame of reference ,we then arc behind the plane as it flies over misty tundra over a huge lake and towards a remote Alaskan village "the halibut fishing capital of the world" This film starts as a whodunnit crime investigation which goes wrong as Pacino shoots his partner in a foggy gun fight.The resultant guilt and the midnight sun render him insomnic and his psyche crumbles.As it was Internal Affairs were on his tail and his partner was going to cut a deal! He conceals the shooting blaming it on bad guy Robin Williams(excellently cast against type!) Unfortunately Williams saw it all and is black mailing Pacino.The astounding thing is how comfortable Nolan is directing these heavyweights and his signature is on the film. In the same way that Batman Begins was the best Super hero film ever made, so this is arguably the best crime thriller ever made because it is a sumptuous masterpiece to watch .I recommend you rent/buy this film asap. Rollon more Christopher Nolan films


A cut above the rest.   February 17, 2004
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

This is one of those films that makes it worth sifting through all the drivel. Films that please me are few and far between, most of them never get under the characters skin and show 'us' what makes them tick. Thanks to the impressive acting from all and sublime direction this doesn't just feel real it makes you feel like an invisible spectator. Especially the scenes of Pacino alone, the emotion he portrays is captivating and the film has such beauty even a close up of some wall paper is interesting.
The story itself is very compelling and told with truth and honesty, this is no Hollywood action thriller, there is no black and white there's a lot of grey in here. Also, the just under two hours running time flys by and if you like thought provoking tales that actually make you feel 'something' then you'll find it two hours very much not wasted. This is a film I'll watch time and time again. I wish they'd make more like this one. It restores your faith in American cinema thats for sure.


My cup of tea   March 10, 2008
Schnecki (Scotland)
One of my favourite movies of all times. Think I watched it about 4-5 times already in the last 15 months. Stunning, remote, damp Alaska not being the last reason why it is a fascinating film. A great plot, well casted, in the right settings.
Can't say much more, except that I am awaiting the original version for rental shortly. I'm curious which one I'd prefer in the end.


excellent   June 7, 2008
martin thomas (england)
great twisting thriller with al pacino and robin williams giving excellent performances and are well supported by hillary swank.this is a great thriller worth watching