Review: Insomnia (2002)

★★★

Robin Williams and Al Pacino in "Insomnia (2002)."

Christopher Nolan's "Insomnia (2002)" is a remake of the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name. Unlike most remakes, Nolan doesn’t mock or force anything into this film. Nolan is a true visionary and a genius. With remakes, you have to stay loyal and faithful to the original. If you don't, you might end up upsetting fans and critics alike. While it may attract some new fans, the older ones may not accept it.

The film starts with Los Angeles police detective Will Dormer (Al Pacino) heading to Alaska to solve the case of Kay Connell (Crystal Lowe). When he arrives, he is welcomed by Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank), Chief Nyback (Paul Dooley), and Hap Eckhart (Martin Donovan). During one of the suspect chases, Dormer accidentally shoots his partner, Hap. As a result, Dormer is plagued by insomnia, brought on by his guilt for killing Eckhart and further exacerbated by the perpetual daylight. Burr is put in charge of the shooting investigation. Dormer puts the blame on the suspect to avoid being caught. Later, the suspect, Walter Finch (Robin Williams), contacts Dormer and tells him everything, leading to an agreement between the two, as both have accidentally killed someone. It is revealed that Kay had gone to see Walter because she was a big fan of his work and considered him a friend. Burr eventually deduces that Dormer killed Hap. Before she can question him about it, she has to retrieve the letters Kay sent to Walter. However, the letters were in the wrong house. Walter tells Burr to meet him at his cabin so he can give her the letters. Dormer finds the letters at Walter's apartment and rushes to Burr. Walter ends up locking Burr in his house. Dormer and Walter quarrel, leading to both getting shot. Walter dies immediately, while Dormer takes some time to die. Burr forgives Dormer and believes that Hap's killing was an accident, allowing Dormer to die peacefully. His final words are, "Let me sleep."

I enjoyed this movie. It's a dark, crime thriller. Pacino and Williams deliver wonderful performances. Some of my favorite scenes are when the two are talking. The reason their scenes succeed is that Pacino's character forces Williams to stare into the mirror of his own delusion. A contrast study is presented by their two faces: Pacino's mouth is slack from exhaustion, and he has dark circles under his eyes, while Williams presents an open, smooth countenance befitting a man who firmly believes in his own argument.

Another thing I enjoyed was the editing. When it comes to filmmaking, there is one major rule directors have to follow: "Show, not tell." Nolan does a perfect job with that. When Walter describes what happened to Kay and how he killed her, it shows some flashbacks of what actually happened, adding a "horror" element to the feeling.

"Insomnia (2002)" is not one of Nolan's best pictures, but it is certainly one of his more entertaining ones.