Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding Grittiness
Review: As the puzzle of the murder starts to unravel, so too, does the protagonist. To the point where his judgment is impaired by his lack of sleep and the line between right and wrong is blurred. Al Pacino is so convincing in his role, that anyone who has suffered insomnia should be able to relate. To top off Pacino's performance was the brilliant casting of lovable Robin Williams as the antagonist! Williams' performance is chilling! Add the beautiful scenery and interesting story, and you get a thriller that's worth losing some sleep over!
Rating:
Summary: Robin Williams makes a wonderful villain!
Review: Robin Williams plays a great serious role as a slightly crazed novelist who kills a teenage girl in a small town in Alaska. Al Pacino is the big city cop from Los Angeles brought up to catch him. The town, Night Mute, is the Halibut Fishing Capital of the world, but with its picturesque granite mountains in the backdrop, it looks as though the movie was shot in a larger version of Yosemite National Park, one of the most beautifully breathtaking places in the entire world. Pacino solves the mystery early but kills his partner by accident in the process - and the killer sees him do it. What ensues is a subtle mating dance where two spiders, Williams and Pacino, face off against each other. One is going to die (probably) and the other is going to get screwed (just figuratively). The pretty girl who is killed is shown in flashback, and there isn't any skin in the entire flick, except if one counts her nude figure lying dead across the coroner's table. Hilary Swank plays a great role as a bushy tailed rookie cop who idolizes Pacino, but then at the end sees him as the human being that is all of us. The mental sparing between Williams and Pacino makes the film come alive - even though with the Alaskan 24-hour days Pacino isn't able to sleep throughout the entire film. The movie builds to a climactic finish, and you won't be able to either (sleep, that is!). Pacino, as an experienced, cop is in his element. But Williams, as the villain, is superb! 'Insomnia' is a feature you'll love from start to finish. I highly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: I loved this movie
Review: The movie begins with great scenic views of beautiful Atlanta. Two LAPD detectives are sent there to solve a homicide case. A teen murder has been committed. Anyways, as the first murder suspect is getting confronted Al Pacino kills his partner by mistake but decides to put the blame on the suspect of the teen murder. And by doing this he gets his insomnia and can never get back to sleep. A great movie by all means. Robin Williams as good as always. A must see
Rating: 
Summary: Opposite of Insomnia
Review: Although this movie was mildly entertaining with a neat cast, I found it long and drug out. I almost fell asleep during this movie. Basically it's an Alaskan murder case and two L.A. detectives are hired to assist. During an exploration of evidence one of the L.A. detectives get's shot. The supspected murdurer literally knows who did it. And this whole woven story comes into effect.
Rating:
Summary: mind-blowing performances by Pacino and Williams
Review: Pacino and his partner played by Martin Donovan(Agent Cody Banks) are set to a town where there is not darkness, or where they see no moon but its sunshiny out. their investigating a murder of a young girl and the killer is on the loose. Pacino partners up with Hilary Swank(Boys Dont Cry) and Nicky Katt(Suburbia), and they go to a place by the lake where they might find the killer, surley enough some nicely done suspense is put in there as Pacino shoots his partner on accident and kills him and he covers it up and the real killer saw it, who just happens to be Mr. Robin Williams(who is creepy and mind-blowing). its a great game between them and it ends with Williams shooting Pacino and then Pacino shotgun blasts Williams and then Pacino confesses to Swank about everything as she holds him on that walkway. if your renting movies or buying, rent or buy this one or Williams other creepy movie One Hour Photo
Rating:
Summary: Film Noir in broad daylight...
Review: Insomnia is the second outing from director Christopher Nolan (Memento) and, while not as thrilling and innovative as his first movie, its still an taut thriller in the film noir tradition. The plot centers around a detective (Al Pacino) sent from LA up to Alaska to solve a brutal murder. A bright, but naive young local detective (Hilary Swank) helps him search for clues. While searching in the Alaskan wilderness Pacino's character accidentally kills his partner and covers it up. The problem is that the actual murderer (Robin Williams) saw Pacino do this. A "cat-and-mouse" game between Pacino and Williams ensues. Pacino is excellent as a detective burdened from past sins and the constant daylight of northern Alaska. Williams is also brilliant as a mild-mannered author who in a split second, turned into cold, calculating killer. Its a needed departure from his spastic comedy and hokey "coming-of-age" dramas. Swank is good too(especially at the film's climax), but unfortunately under used. The plot kind of relies a bit heavy on too many film-noir/corrupt cop conventions, but it still makes those cliches seem fresh. It is also interesting to see how both Pacino's and Williams' characters begin their path to ruin by rationalizing their deeds as being done for the greater good, but end up trapped in a lie after lie. Bottom line: a great movie that stands head and shoulders above most movies released in the studio system.
Rating:
Summary: ....Yawn...
Review: I dig Pacino. I am fanatic about Robin. But, I didn't even try to get the sleep Pacino wanted so dearly and was granted it while viewing this cine. Why? My problem: they should have given the uncredited role thing to Robin, which at least had given the movie more punch when you find out who's the killer. A la Spacey in Se7en. The mystery was supposed to drive the story more. How's the mystery gonna drive the story when you tell everyone who did it from the bat? Granted, the Midnight Sun and lack of sleep angle adds something to the drama, but seeing a sleepy, craggy, crabby Pacino go thru his contorsions made me a bit more drowsy than my fellow reviewers...
Rating:
Summary: Falls Flat
Review: This psychological thriller is based upon Norwegian writer Erik Skjoldbjaerg's novel of the same title. Al Pacino took a 4 year absence from acting before this film, and it's no surprise that this one broke him from his hiatus, as it has a great script and it stars two other Academy Award winning performers, Hillary Swank and Robin Williams. Set in Alaska, this film is about Will Dormer, a veteran LA detective, played by Pacino. Dormer is sent with partner Hap Eckhart to investigate the grisly murder of a 17-year-old girl. At the same time, Dormer & Eckhart are being investigated by internal affairs for some suspicious police work, which Dormer believes Eckhart is about to spill the beans about. The two colleagues are welcomed in Alaska by Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank), a policewoman who is also interested in solving this strange case. Dormer accidentally shoots his partner Eckhart, but knows how it will look if he confesses to the shooting, so he misleads them to believe that the suspect did the shooting and continues the investigation. The story goes through some interesting twists and turns from there on. Three academy award winners in one movie that is based on a fantastic book with the same director as Memento seems like a sure winner, and it certainly did well at the box office, but it falls flat. Perhaps Swank and Pacino are afraid to upstage each other, as both their performances lack emotional depth and energy. Williams' performance is shockingly superb, however, as this role is a side of him not yet seen and he plays it very well. He finally shows he is a talented actor with more range than the Patch Adams and Mrs Doubtfire roles he usually takes. Williams' great performance can't save this film though, as it just doesn't get to the heart. The lack of emotional impact of it has is disappointing, as the criminal is more interesting and complex than the cops. The line fine they are creating between cop and criminal isn't lost on me, but Pacino's character is wooden and emotionally superficial and there's a void in the film where a great character should be. This movie is proof that too many chefs spoil the cake, as too many great actors made what should have been a spectacular film into this mediocre film.
Rating: 
Summary: 4.0 out of 5
Review: Masterfully-woven remake of the 1997 Norweigan film about an L.A. cop (Al Pacino) who succumbs to corruption in a northern town where the sun never sets. A wonderfully entertaining thriller from director Christopher Nolan (MEMENTO), who proves he is a truly outstanding filmmaker. Hillary Seitz provides the script; David Julyan composes the score; there's also some really great editing (Dody Dorn) here. Pacino is terrific, although he's much changed since films like THE GODFATHER and SCARFACE; Robin Williams proves he's a master of acting with his first role as a villain; Hilary Swank is great as well, as the cop who returns Pacino's rest. One of the best films of 2002, no doubt about it.
Rating:
Summary: NJ's awful review
Review: NJ, reviews are not for revealing plot development secrets. Your assessment of Pacino as a great actor is a judgement call, but how can we trust the judgement of someone who gives away plot lines in a review? (Personally, I think Pacino has an uncanny ability to ruin an otherwise-superb movie, but that is beside the point.)
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