Maybe I wasn't in the mood, but this one was way too slow for me to comprende. Not my cuppa joe I think :)
"A good cop can't sleep because a piece of the puzzle is missing. And a bad cop can't sleep because his conscience won't let him."
A decent little crime mystery thriller but a major downgrade from Christopher Nolan sinse this is the movie he did right after the mind blowing masterpiece Memento. Quite the different kind of role for Robin Williams as the bad guy but he nailed it, his scenes with Al Pacino are so tense. Al Pacino is the real star though as the no bullshit detective going through PTSD-ish psychological turmoil, I found his character to be interesting from beginning to end.
The mystery is alright, not the best but it keeps this thing going in the first half. It turns into something else after that mystery and that's what's really interesting and what sets this movie apart from other crime thrillers. I still wanted it to go further into the psychological aspect with the main character, he had enough on his plate to go crazy but it never fully gets there unfortunately. A few thrilling chase sequences like the fog and floating logs one but I wanted a little more because it got slow in some parts. Nice filming location. Nothing too special on a cinematography level.
Man this is so hard for me to rate/review. It's Chris Nolan directing a mystery crime thriller starring Al Pacino as a detective and Robin Williams as the villain in a cat and mouse chase. It ticks all the boxes. But what kind of let me down here is the fact that Nolan was merely just a hired gun. There was no much of writing freedom considering it's also a remake right after Memento. So comparatively to Memento this was a huge step down.
Still there's plenty to appreciate here, Pacino nails it, Williams surprised me with his villain portrayal. The characters were well written except maybe Hillary's character who was just there for the plot and didn't have any impact as a standalone character. I absolutely loved the premise and the mystery surrounding it. I was hooked from the first act and never got out of my seat.
However, this is still a weak project from Nolan, especially when he had the capacity of writing stuff like Memento at his early stages as a director. Overall it's still a solid experience and I'd definitely recommend anyone this movie if they want to get into Nolan movies.
After the success of Memento, Nolan got scooped up by a major studio and made a more conventional film as his next project. It starts out like a typical police procedural, however at the end of the first act it quickly turns into a more unique premise. It feels like a David Fincher film, and I think this could’ve been great if he had directed it. With Nolan at the helm the results are slightly less exciting, because the script doesn’t entirely play to his strengths. It’s not that the movie ever looks bad, it’s lit and shot like a real film and the location (which gives it a Scandinavian thriller feel) helps out a lot. However, this is the type of script that demands more style and atmosphere, the filmmaking here is simply too plain. I know that Nolan typically doesn’t engage in David Lynch-esque surrealism, but when you have a protagonist suffering from insomnia, you’re allowed to go crazier than what this ends up doing. It’s weird because Memento was directed with such a strong vision, this almost feels like a step back. Maybe he decided to water it down just a little bit due to it being made for a big studio. Nevertheless, this is still a fantastic screenplay (could’ve done without the ‘I secretly recorded our conversation’ trope) with some outstanding acting from Pacino and Williams. It’s tense, engaging, smart; again, it does exactly what it needs to do, but it doesn’t entirely reach its full potential.
7/10
This film starts as a very intriguing police procedural. Then about half an hour in, something happens that spins the whole story around on a dime. The new direction was jarring and it was tough to even look at Detective Dormer (Al Pacino).
In time, the story develops, Robin Williams shows up as subdued psycho Walter Finch, and Det. Dormer becomes even more heinous. The final act is good as the 24-hour sunlight of Alaska takes a toll on Dormer. The ending isn't a surprise but it is satisfying. This film makes me want to see Alaska. Beautiful.
Doesn't feel like a Nolan movie. Which is actually better since it actually has a strong psychological and emotional elements compared to Nolan's usually dull emotional writing and mind-bending movies.
It is blessed with 2 iconic leads, Robin Williams and Al Pacino whose performances are truly touching.
The story does feel a little cliché(?) but its well-done and does affect the viewer, one of the few movies where I lost touch of the outside world, albeit not for long compared to Parasite, The Great Gatsby, Whiplash or Interstellar where I nearly completely lost touch.
One of Nolan's lesser known films but it's still great. Terrific performance from Al Pacino and Robin Williams gives one of his more memorable roles.
It is a good movie, but from Christopher Nolan I was expecting something a lot better.
Al Pacino and Robin Williams. Masters
From Christopher Nolan comes the compelling and provocative crime thriller Insomnia. Starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Sawnk, the film has a strong cast that delivers some impressive performances. The story follows a L.A. police detective that is sent to Alaska to assist in a murder investigation, but when he accidentally shots his partner and covers it up, the killer attempts to blackmail him. The writing is especially good, and creates an intense and suspenseful tone. Additionally, Nolan does an incredible job at using the Alaskan setting to give the film an atmospheric look and feel. Exceptionally well-crafted, Insomnia is a smart and dramatic police procedural that explores some interesting ethical questions.
Probably Nolan's weakest film but that's saying a lot since this is really good. Also was possibly Robin Williams' best role before unfortunately some duds before his death. Nolan however is better when he's not remaking a film. The original Insomnia is also supposed to be pretty damn good.
Thrilling, good plot twists and a great cast make this a must see!
In the end Burr finds out the truth but Finch knocks her down. Dormer can safe her life by killing Finch but also dies because of a bullet fired by Finch. Dormer's dying wish is that Burr doesn't cover up for him even though she offers to get rid of the evidence that he shot his partner...
Allow me to write a review of the movie "Insomnia" for you.
"Insomnia" is a 2002 crime thriller film directed by Christopher Nolan. This movie is a remake of the Swedish movie of the same name from 1997.
The story of "Insomnia" takes place in the small town of Nitshawa in Alaska. A Los Angeles detective named Will Dormer, played by Al Paschino, is sent to this city to solve a murder case. In this city, suddenly, Dormer's friend and colleague named Hobby (played by Robin Williams) also appears. As the story progresses, the problems and tensions between Dormer and Hobby grow.
One of the main strengths of "Insomnia" is the direction of the outstanding figure of Christopher Nolan. Using a dark style and a sense of horror, he portrays the fear and mental anguish of a person who realizes justice and cruelty. Nolan shows well the psychological tension of the characters and with the complex and sad story structure of the film, the contact between reality and fantasy becomes a disturbing experience.
Also, the outstanding acting of Al Paschino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank in "Insomnia" is also highly commendable. Al Paschino remarkably performs the inner feelings and various emotions of his character, and Williams brings the role of a mysterious and complex character to the world of reality with his calm and powerful acting.
In Insomnia, he explores themes such as the relationship between black and white, morality and justice, and the psychological impact of internal tensions on a person struggling with his own mistakes.
Although "Insomnia" is a very strong and well-received film, some may find some aspects of the story a bit complicated and confusing. Also, the film is a little shorter than Nolan's other films, and some of the characters are less developed.
In the end, "Insomnia" is a deep and exciting film that, with superior direction and strong acting, offers the audience a stimulating and disturbing experience of a world full of darkness and tension. If you are interested in thriller and crime movies, "Insomnia" is the right choice for you. I hope this review was useful for you! <|endofstatement|>
Christopher Nolan brings us this eerie, methodical thriller about an Alaskan murder case, successfully adapting and re-working a 1997 Norwegian film of the same name. Insomnia’s intrigue lies not in its hunt for the killer - a small-time writer named Finch (Robin Williams) makes very little effort to mask his guilt - but in how he uses sensitive information and unusual atmospheric conditions to misdirect and blackmail the lead officer. Flown in to crack the case, superstar LAPD police detective Dormer (Al Pacino) is compromised when he can’t acclimate to the region’s 24-hour daylight cycle, spending several sleepless nights in a rented bed. This, plus an impending internal affairs investigation and an accident in the field, places him in a troubled state of mind that’s ripe for his target’s manipulations.
Pacino and Williams produce several excellent, contentious scenes together, though the latter doesn’t appear in-person until halfway through the film. Pacino, a patient and confident character at the outset, balances vocal frustration with nuanced confusion as the hours mount and he begins to lose his grip on reality. Williams, meanwhile, is downright chilling in the rare villainous role, leveraging his normally-jovial energy abundance into something that feels more nervous and unsettling in the strange new light. Great performances, well-managed by an emerging director who may not have completely trusted his own instincts quite yet. Insomnia is most effective when Nolan uses the camera to explore Dormer’s visions and hallucinations, misleading us right alongside the self-professed “good cop,” but those scenes feel under-represented. It's a more traditional story in their stead, with only hints of the ambitious narrative gambits that would come to define his later works. Effective, but somewhat less challenging than your typical Nolan mind-bender.
the constant "light" here being it's own "character" and a symbol of not being able to escape his past just the way he wasn't able to escape the constant light was a good metaphor
Good movie with an interesting plot. Still the weakest film by Christopher Nolan imp. He did only direct this movie but has not written the story himself as on a lot of his better known movies. So this my be the reason why.
A well-directed, thoght-provoking and subtle psychological thriller with an engaging plot and steller performances from cast.
The story is simple and straightforward but the film isn't very much engaging to watch
Great cast, average film.
Absolutely loved this movie.
Shout by FinFanBlockedParent2019-01-27T20:50:13Z
A pre-Batman Nolan movie, but how did I miss that one back then ?
Pacino, like always, is absolutely convincing. I've never seen a bad performance from him. Yes, he has a certain type attached to him but he still is one of the best actors around. Equally well did Robin Williams and it is a pleasure to see both of these actors together. And, althought having a smaller role, good job by Hilary Swank. With those actors you seldom do wrong.
Script was really great, exactly what I am looking for in a thriller. A timeless movie you can watch anytime.