Count Orlok '22 2008-11-24
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Christopher Nolan, the acclaimed director of Following and Memento, delivers another gripping thriller in his remake of the Norwegian film Insomnia. Utilizing his adept understanding of the human psyche, he creates a film that is both haunting and suspenseful. Though it may not keep you lying awake at night, Insomnia will surely keep you on the edge of your seat.
When Detective Will Dormer and his partner, Hap Eckhart are asked to leave behind their native city of Los Angeles to help solve a murder case in a small Alaskan town, they have no idea of the dangers that await them. While in pursuit of a possible suspect Will accidentally shoots and kills Hap, having mistaken him for the suspect. But was it really an accident? Back in L.A. Hap was being asked to testify against Will, who had been using some unorthodox and illegal methods to serve justice. Will reluctantly covers up his role in Hap's death so as to avoid suspicion as to whether or not the shooting was intentional. Now Will is consumed by guilt and is unable to sleep. His insomnia grows more intense, and as he's in part of Alaska where the sun doesn't set for months, he blames his sleepless condition on the light. Yet there are two people who know what's really keeping him awake at night. Ellie Burr, a young and intelligent Alaskan detective, begins to see that Will is clearly disturbed by something and she is compelled to find out what. Meanwhile a strange, reclusive pulp novelist named Walter Finch begins calling Will. Finch says that he witnessed Hap's death at Will's hands, but he won't tell the authorities so long as Will agrees to help him in return. What presents a problem is the fact that Walter Finch is the very murder suspect that Will was pursuing when the accidental shooting occurred. And there can be no denial that Walter Finch is a killer. The two men find themselves forced to work together to conceal their mutual guilt, but when Detective Ellie Burr starts to uncover the truth, Will is faced with a moral dilemma. Shall he admit his faults, lose his job, and suffer the legal ramifications for what happened in L.A. and for what happened to Hap... or shall he choose to align himself with sociopathic Walter Finch in order to save himself? And what of Ellie Burr, whose youthful enthusiasm and integrity Will has come to respect and admire? Can he protect her from the truth that incriminates him and will inevitably lead her to Walter?
Abandoning the complex narrative structure of his previous film Memento for a more straightforward storytelling style, Nolan manages to maintain a high level of suspense. He also uses numerous visual tricks to keep viewers interested in the conflicts of the characters. As Will Dormer becomes more exhausted the lights become brighter, things seem to move about him without reason, and he begins to experience hallucinations and extreme confusion. What is so remarkable is that, through all of this the viewer is able to follow the sequence of events and differentiate between reality and illusion.
The cast features Al Pacino as Detective Will Dormer, Robin Williams as Walter Finch, and Hilary Swank as Detective Ellie Burr. Not a member of the cast gives a bad performance and each of them manage to hold their own, which is a feat in itself. Hilary Swank, in particular, is great as the young idealistic Ellie Burr. Also adding an unforgettable presence to the film is Robin Williams who creates a truly frightening villain, and yet at the same time he's so charismatic that you almost sympathize with him. As for Pacino, he gives a strong performance but it's nothing that he doesn't normally do on a regular basis.
Also recommended:
Strangers on a Train
The Long Goodbye
...And Justice for All
Witness
The Silence of the Lambs
