Cast: Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank, Maura Tierney, Martin Donovan, Nicky Katt, Paul Dooley, Jonathan Jackson
Director: Christopher Nolan
Producers: Broderick Johnson, Paul Junger Witt, Andrew A. Kosove, Edward McDonnell
Screenplay: Hillary Seitz, based on the 1997 screenplay by Nikolaj Frobenius and Erik Skjoldbjærg
Cinematography: Wally Pfister
Music: David Julyan
U.S. Distributor: Warner Brothers
One of the most breathtaking scenes in Christopher Nolan's Insomnia occurs early in the film as a small plane flies over the barren wasteland of jagged mountains and broken ice that makes up so much of the rugged terrain of America's northernmost state. For this thriller, which unites three Academy Award-winning actors (Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank) with the director of Memento, we're up above the Arctic Circle in the Land of the Midnight Sun. Call it film blanche.
Allowed to stand on its own merits, Insomnia is an engrossing, and, at times, suspenseful motion picture. It also keeps in mind that some visitors to multiplexes do not choose to check their brains at the theater door. Most people who see Insomnia will take it for what it is, without realizing that, as good as the movie may be, it could have been much better. The problem is that this picture is afflicted with the dreaded remake virus, which causes the afflicted victims to change brilliant endings to appeal to mainstream audiences. This happened to The Vanishing, Diabolique, and now Insomnia. To screenwriter Hillary Seitz's credit, she doesn't completely blow it, but the conclusion of this version of Insomnia pales in comparison with the darker, uncompromising manner in which director/co-writer Erik Skjoldbjærg ended the 1997 original.
Skjoldbjærg was the producers' first choice to direct Insomnia, but he begged off, stating that he had already told the story once and had no desire to do it a second time. (Instead, he worked on a much different sort of project - Prozac Nation.) In stepped Christopher Nolan, still basking in the glory of his breakthrough feature, Memento. From a structure standpoint, Insomnia is a more straightforward project. Nolan does a little flashing back, but, for the most part, the chronology is linear. Nevertheless, few would use the word "typical" as a descriptor.
For Los Angeles police detectives Will Dormer (Al Pacino) and Hap Eckhart (Martin Donovan), their latest murder investigation isn't business as usual. They have come to Alaska not only to aid the authorities of the small town of Nightmute in finding a killer, but to temporarily escape the spotlight of an Internal Affairs investigation. Will is greeted like a legend in Nightmute, especially by Officer Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank), who hero-worships him. After examining the body and getting a rundown on some basic facts about the case, Will and Hap retire to their hotel, where Hap drops a bombshell on Will - he's going to cut a deal with I.A. Will is livid, claiming that if Hap does that, all of the criminals they put away will get out. But Hap is adamant.
The next day, Will sets a trap for the killer, an author named Walter Finch (Robin Williams), who falls into it. There's a chase along a foggy shoreline, and, when Will fires his gun at a shape in the mist, he accidentally kills his partner, whose dying words are that Will did it on purpose to stop him from testifying. Walter, concealed nearby, sees and hears everything. Later, Will decides to cover things up, pretending that their quarry shot his partner. Everyone believes Will, so it isn't difficult for him to tamper with the evidence. But Walter knows the truth, and he believes that gives him power over Will. In his mind, they're partners, and, as sleep deprivation caused by insomnia clouds Will's ability to think clearly, he is drawn into Walter's web.
The main character in Insomnia inhabits the gray area between hero and anti-hero. Will is not the triumphant, all-knowing Sherlock Holmes we have come to expect from protagonists in movies like this. His sin is not in killing his partner (circumstances make it clear that this is an accident), but in covering it up, then making a deal with the enemy to keep the truth buried. However, as ambiguous as Will's morality may be, the flaws in his character have been softened considerably for American audiences. The detective played by Stellan Skarsgard showed a darker side.
The Midnight Sun is very much a character in Insomnia. Some of the most memorable images are of Will trying to shut out the light at night so he can get some sleep. As the movie progresses, and Will's lack of sleep becomes evident, Nolan incorporates this into the film's look. The shots become agitated. Unusual angles and blurred images are more commonplace. Pacino's acting and demeanor feed into this; his manner grows more unstable and his appearance is more haggard. This isn't one of Pacino's landmark performances, but he is convincing and effective in the role.
With his low-key approach to the part, Robin Williams manages to submerge his highly visible, volatile personality. Walter is not a ranting, over-the-top killer but a clear-eyed, logical individual. Hilary Swank brings a refreshing, wide-eyed naivete to Ellie. While this isn't a "glamour" role by any stretch of the imagination, it allows Swank to appear attractive (something that was not the case when she won the Oscar for Boys Don't Cry.)
For those who have not seen the earlier Insomnia, this motion picture delivers the goods. It's smart, well-acted, beautifully shot, and suspenseful. For those who are familiar with the source material, while there may be a sense that something is lacking, the movie still has the capacity to engage for two hours. Insomnia does not become one of those rare remakes to eclipse the original, but it doesn't disgrace it, either. Under the relentless glare of the Midnight Sun, the only darkness is in the hearts and actions of the characters.
© 2002 James Berardinelli