Insomnia is a remake of the Norwegian film that came out in 1997 and while it shares the exact same plot, I thought Christopher Nolan made a well-crafted psychological thriller with some solid performances. I don’t usually approve remakes that try to emulate the story of the original without bringing anything new, but I haven’t seen the Norwegian version so I can’t compare them. While it might seem like a predictable and generic detective film at first, once the little twist happens we are drawn into a very interesting confrontation between the killer and one of the detectives. The hallucinatory sequences get a bit repetitive, but I appreciate the technical prowess shown there. The moral conflicts lived by Will Dormer…

Christopher Nolan's first stint with a major Hollywood studio is a remake of the Norwegian thriller of the same name and is termed by many critics to be one of the rare instances of an American remake done right. I haven't seen the original so I can't compare the two but one can make out that it tries to create its own identity instead of following the same footsteps.

The story of Insomnia concerns Will Dormer; a Los Angeles homicide detective who, along with another detective, is dispatched to a small Alaskan town to investigate the methodical murder of a local teen. When an attempt to apprehend the suspect results in a tragic incident, things soon turn worse for Will…

Christopher Nolan's "Insomnia" is a vividly rendered, sharply directed, and skillfully performed crime thriller. Observing characters trapped in moral, mental, and physical fogs, the film is both patient and urgent. Exciting and textured, Nolan's remake of an earlier Norwegian film is a highly satisfying piece of work.

Revolving around the investigation of a murder that occurred in a remote town in Alaska, the film follows as Al Pacino's weary, big-city detective is brought aboard to assist with the case. Falling victim to an environment where the sun rarely sets, the detective finds himself mentally and physically slipping. As the case moves to its conclusion, fatal mistakes are made, secrets are set, and perpetrators are uncovered. A morality play, mystery, and…

Insomnia, somewhat of an outlier in Nolan's filmography, tells a smaller story; more contained and isolated. It's noir with the lights on, set in a small Alaskan town where the sun never goes down, and sleep is a luxury not all can afford. Nolan's usage of this small detail is great, as much of the film toys with Pacino's inability to rest; an obvious result/metaphor of his conflicted mindset. He's a man at a crossroads, a hero grappling with the eventual tarnishing of his reputation. Pacino plays his part wonderfully, because the character; his mannerisms and personality feel very Pacino in essence. He's very at home in this role. This extends as well to Robin Williams, who is wonderful as…

Insomnia is a catalogue of ideas that other movies have done better. It tries to take elements out of The Silence of the Lambs and Seven, but it fails to deliver on the promises of either movie. Al Pacino gives a decent performance, but everyone else is one note. That is, except for Robin Williams, who is a very cliched two dimensional character.

The scene in the fog towards the beginning is the clear highlight, but from there, the film loses its way. By revealing who the killer is so early, it turns the film in to a very cliche "you and I aren't so different."

The ending was the only part that managed to tie themes together, but Insomnia…

Sorry Niro/Nolan, Skarsgard/Skolgeghsdgadngjsd did it better. Absolutely criminal that this has 10x more views than the original.

Right from the first sweeping shot, with the standard orchestral soundtrack playing over it, I knew I was going to be disappointed. And I was.

What made the original so good was the bleak, blank landscape, the stripped back presentation that added to it, and the alien feeling that you got watching a foreign film. It all adds up to a certain mood and feeling that made that first iteration of Insomnia so compelling.

But that is all traded for more standard police procedural offerings, splashier production, but it's all so... soulless. Manufactured. Americanised. It loses the appeal of the original, and what…

Almost great. Some bizarre editing moments, odd acting, and TOO MANY CUTS keep it from being great. The moral quandary Pacino is placed in is truly difficult and murky and makes it believable when he goes to such insane lengths to protect himself. The plot develops really well from the inciting action. Pacino doesn’t know how to act tired?? He also spends a lot of time being mean to high schoolers. I wish Swank had a bigger role, and the hotel keeper existed only to hear Pacino’s confession. Wish the women were used more. Williams is pretty good and his character is pretty different from a lot of crime-film villains. A few pretty shots but I wish there more cause…