Nolan's entrancing detective thriller

Rating: 8/10 (22 June 2007)

Crime thrillers are becoming increasingly popular in today's movie industry, to the point where each new entry seems almost redundant - we've seen this story before. So it's nice to see an addition to the pantheon of detective murder mysteries with an inventive addition to its loose formula - the lead character, sent from Las Angeles to Alaska to investigate the murder of a young girl is unable to sleep for many days in a row, and begins to doubt his own judgment, and eventually sanity. This slight tweaking of the formula is what makes Christopher Nolan's Insomnia all the more compelling - a particularly captivating and thought provoking take on the genre.
If there is a single current director who has been able to generate a steady quantity of relentlessly impressive work with no sign of a decrease in quality, it's Christopher Nolan, whose credentials include the fantastic Memento, Batman Begins and The Prestige. While Insomnia is by no means Nolan's strongest work, that's not to say that it isn't still a compelling and captivating film, and Nolan demonstrates his usual flair for pouring genuine cinematic heart and soul into his film, rising it above the ranks of would be imitations. Nolan shows an uncanny eye for selecting effective settings and locations for his story, and the vast, barren template of Alaska is a perfect choice for the quiet yet turbulent investigation. The use of the insomnia effect for Pacino's character proves particularly effective, as the audience shares in the character's extreme disorientation through blurry camera work and lightening quick editing, capturing a surprisingly accurate cinematic portrayal of the character's dangerous sleep deprivation.
While the screenplay, adapted from the original Norwegian film and composed by newcomer screenwriter Hillary Seitz, does allow for the occasional very powerful and emotional moment, for the most part, the film's script is what ultimately prevents the film from becoming a true classic - the dialogue coming across as a touch too contrived and clunky to make for a fully satisfying work. It's a small complaint though, and the film does boast a genuinely unpredictable ending, and enough satisfying moments to overcompensate for the occasional clunky bit. The film also boasts some very succinct and to the point cinematography, shot mainly in close ups of the leading characters talking, and surprisingly rapid fire editing cuts, creating a feeling which does succeed in being deliberately disorienting, adding to the feeling of unease created throughout, though the editing does toe the line of becoming distracting at times. Altogether, the atmosphere created in the film is superb, perfectly complimenting the ominous murder mystery storyline.
The always reliable Al Pacino is in familiar territory as beaten down yet determined detective Will Dormer, yet he is allowed to flex his dramatic muscles more here than in a more standard variation of the role. In particular, Pacino demonstrates particular skill in portraying a man suffering from chronic insomnia, culminating in a powerful and affecting leading performance. Robin Williams gives an intriguing and very strong performance, playing strongly against type and arguably stealing the show as the ominous lead suspect for the murder case. The only real casting misfire is Hillary Swank, whose character comes across as simply unnecessary for the most part of the film, and Swank's performance doesn't help - her earnest upcoming cop generally comes across simply as irritating rather than idealistic and passionate. Character actor Martin Donovan also gives a potent performance as Dormer's partner, who is also sent down to investigate the murder.
All things considered, Insomnia comes across as a mostly fresh and innovative entry into the near exhausted genre of police murder mystery. Fueled by strong performances from Pacino and Williams, and the relentlessly classy directorial hand of Christopher Nolan, it's easy to overlook the occasional script stumbles, making for an entertaining, tense, and thought provoking film easily worth a look.
-8/10