Rage Against the Dying of the Light

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2009)

"Invited to 'Nightmute', Alaska, to head a murder case, veteran LAPD detective Will Dormer (Al Pacino) finds his investigation interrupted by an ever-shining midnight sun that wreaks sleep-depriving havoc on him - and by personal guilt over a second crime that may be real or a figment of his increasingly unstable consciousness," according to the DVD sleeve description.
Director Christopher Nolan does an excellent job crafting a North American version of the original 1997 Norwegian crime drama, helped immensely by Hillary Seitz' intricate, intelligent adaptation.
Also extraordinary are Mr. Pacino, cinematographer Wally Pfister, and editor Dody Dorn. Hilary Swank and Robin Williams effectively tone down their established personas. The smaller roles are beautifully realized - Paul Dooley, Larry Holden, Katharine Isabelle, Jonathan Jackson, Nicky Katt, and Maura Tierney deserve an "ensemble cast" award - and, Martin Donovan's "Hap" is particularly haunting.
This film could have easily been nominated for six "Academy Awards" - but, probably, voters were sleepless in Chicago. Nevertheless, "Insomnia" shows Mr. Nolan, coming off "Memento" (2000), moving into the circle of upper echelon directors. Mr. Pfister knows how to hand-hold cameras, and Ms. Dorn's editing skills are sharp - hopefully, this team will receive some more film projects.
********* Insomnia (5/3/02) Christopher Nolan ~ Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank, Martin Donovan