Insomnia (2002)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Stars: Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank
Runtime: 118 minutes

Synopsis: Two Los Angeles homicide detectives are dispatched to a northern town where the sun doesn't set to investigate the methodical murder of a local teen.

Performances: 8/10
Screenplay: 6/10
Editing: 4/10
Cinematography: 7/10
Score/Soundtrack: 6/10

Verdict: When Christopher Nolan's filmography is brought up, most people tend to leave out his first two projects which I've always found odd considering the fact that one of them is a psychological thriller starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank. I cannot speak for his feature debut "Following" yet as it's the only Nolan film I have yet to see as I'm writing this review, but having viewed "Insomnia" twice now I can understand why it's considered to be one of the British director's weakest, or rather least interesting, works.

Nolan is widely known for his innovative and unique approach to blockbusters. Whether you enjoy his films or not, he undeniably always brings something fresh to the table, making his releases wildly anticipated by the general public. His movies are not flawless but they're at least entertaining, which is in my opinion why "Insomnia" doesn't resonate with people as much as his other projects. It's a remake of a Norwegian film that shares the same title and that came out 5 years prior and that asks interesting questions about guilt, corruption, and doing the right thing when given the power that a detective holds. But it does it in a very by-the-books manner that feels very outdated. It's the type of movie I'd typically forget about a week after viewing it if it wasn't for the star power attached to it. Despite great acting and a gloomy atmosphere that perfectly fits the Alaskan setting, I was unimpressed with the narrative that came with it, the editing that was distractingly bad in more than one scene, and the lack of consistency of the effect insomnia has on a person.

The film, which has slowly gained a following during Nolan's rise to stardom, remains a solid feature for the at-the-time young director, but it's also easily one of his most forgettable movies. The narrative issues that still poison his scripts to this day are found in it but are sadly not masked by an intriguing concept or innovative effects.

FINAL GRADE: 6/10