excellent crime thriller

Rating: 9/10 (30 January 2009)

'Insomnia' is a tense murder mystery where the mystery isn't who killed whom, but rather who will find out and who will pay. Al Pacino plays LA police detective Will Dormer, admired for a long career in which he's solved many a murder case. He and his partner, Hap Eckhart (Martin Donovan) are sent to a remote Alaskan town to help find a teenage girl's killer. Dormer lives up to his hype, showing the local cops a thing or two about running an investigation, and very soon sets a trap for the killer, which works. But then, in an exciting scene set in a thick Alaskan fog, Dormer accidentally shoots and kills his partner, moments after the murder suspect has shot one of the local cops. In the confusion, it is just assumed the suspect shot both men, and Dormer does not admit his guilt. The girl's murderer, Walter Finch (Robin Williams) knows the truth however, and he escapes into the fog only to resurface later when he will blackmail Dormer. Though many elements in 'Insomnia' have popped up before, the stylish presentation and intelligent dialogue employed here make them seem fresh. The killer's taunting of the law enforcement agent pursuing him is reminiscent in some ways of 'In the Line of Fire', and the byplay between Clint Eastwood and John Malkovich. Except here it's better. Pacino's Dormer gives as good as he gets. He's not easily intimidated, even though Finch can ruin his career, even put him in prison with what he knows. There is also the added intriguing factor of the 'midnight sun,' meaning it never gets dark, which affects Dormer in particular. He can't sleep, and after a few days begins to suffer from sleep deprivation. This only adds to the plot's tension, as we wonder how long he can hold himself together. The other main character is Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank), a fresh-faced, earnest Alaskan cop who is an ardent admirer of Dormer. She even wrote a thesis while at the police academy based on one of his famous cases. Her role is pivotal, especially at the end, when she discovers the truth about him. Robin Williams plays the murderer in a low-key, conversational way that is quite convincing. The scenes with him and Pacino are some of the best in 'Insomnia,' with each man trying to trip up the other, until an explosive final confrontation in which there is no more bargaining; someone has to lose. 'Insomnia' is a powerful thriller that pulls no punches, and it contains yet another bravura performance by Al Pacino.