A dark ride in the subconscious

Rating: 8/10 (24 May 2002)

Following up a movie like Memento must be quite a chore, but Christopher Nolan did his best. Insomnia is more of a focus on photographic technicalities, allowing the more mainstream viewer to experience Nolan's dark and cryptic style of focusing and cutting. But then again, Insomnia isn't just about cinematography, it's about the nature of human beings and their passion for the truth. Al Pacino portrays the troubled cop Will Dormer to a hilt, letting his natural wrinkles and facial expressions become a natural prosthetic. While the dialogue was simple and direct, the entire history of the characters could be told in the first few minutes of the film. Hillary Swank and Robin Williams' characters had very little history or motive, but then again, their stories are not as important as Dormer's. However, such a miscue in storytelling leaves a hollowness to the picture, turning everyone into a fickle backdrop for Dormer's troubles. Overall, the story was well put together, and executed by the numbers. While David Julyan's score was good, he should have sought to stay confined within his bounds as he did with Memento and Following. 8/10