Insomnia is both original and thrilling, and soars with great writing

Rating: 8/10 (23 July 2016)

Insomnia does not mark the first time director Christopher Nolan uproots a highly original concept and brings it to life on screen, nor does it mark his last. With the astonishing success with the innovative neo-noir thriller 'Memento' the previous year, it was easy to see Nolan had a solid career ahead of him. He's a man who's makes decent acquaintance with originality, from powerful story lines, to absorbing characters, to enthralling thrills for audience to feed on. This psychological thriller starring acclaimed actor Al Pacino, Hilary Swank, Martin Donovan, and Robin Williams in a role unlike any of the charismatic characters he's swallowed in his career; showcases a true and fascinating demonstration of what Nolan is capable of, even if it's quality leads less memorable than his other efforts. The film enters the 'Scarface' veteran Al Pacino as Los Angeles homicide detective Will Dormer who's assigned on a case with his partner Hap Eckhart (played by Martin Donovan) to investigate the murder of 17-year old girl Kay Connell in a small town in Northern Alaska where the daylight sustains uninterrupted for two months. The continuous daylight interferes with Dormer's ability to sleep, leading his insomnia that soon pays a toll his mental state during the investigation. When his attempted apprehension of the killer (played by Robin Williams) goes wrong, it pins Alaskan detective Ellie Burr (played by Hilary Swank) on a separate homicide investigation while Dormer struggles to catch the criminal as he must fight against the psychological deterioration.
This psychological thriller isn't your average catch-the-villain story, Christopher Nolan presents the story with gripping psychological elements associated with suspenseful resonance. The story doesn't dwell on typical crime component like shootouts and tense car chases, instead it showcases a brooding psychological character study as it ventures through the main character's struggle in capturing the antagonist from his mental degradation including the symptoms such as hallucinations and impaired physical functions associated with his disorder. This illness plays a key role in the plot, and the film doesn't go out without a fair plethora of thrills. Christopher Nolan drives the plot through a stylish execution that awards viewers with plenty of tight-on suspense and awe-inspiring thrills from start to finish. Very rarely is there a predictable moment. If there is anything that comes more surprising than the twists and turns sprinkled throughout the 119 minutes, it is the confound performance by Robin Williams as the manipulative (yet somehow likable) primary antagonist. Though Al Pacino serves as the pinnacle of the story, Williams comes to the biggest surprise as playing a character on the opposite side of the moral compass, far from the good guy roles many are used to seeing the fine actor in. He makes great memorability for a character with a sinister and complex agenda. Al Pacino and Oscar- winner Hilary Swank are both solidly appreciable in their roles. Nothing surprising but certainly nothing to ignore.
Insomnia is an inspiring and captivating psychological thriller with ingenious performance, engrossing thrills, and a smartly executed plot formulated by the efforts of director Chrisother Nolan. The film is more than just a reminder of why Christopher Nolan is such an influential filmmaker he is today, it is a thriller with both inventiveness and smarts that defined a true cinematic arks of it's genre.