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Insomnia (Widescreen Edition)

Insomnia (Widescreen Edition)

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Frustrating movie, just get over it
Review: The whole point is he can't sleep. Is there no sleeping pills or Melatonin anywhere. I work at night, so I have trouble sleeping sometimes. But seriously get over it man. I was having such an issue with all of that garbage, I could really get into the movie. I would have preferred if they would have called it. "Guy is really tired, but he did get like 3 hours sleep" as oppossed to Insomnia. ALSO, make sure not to order a french or dutch film called Insomnia. It is the worst... They don't speak english, but there is a [breast] in the first scene.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Mixed reviews but I thought it was great! Hoorah for Pacino
Review: Great acting and rework of an international film. Suspenseful yet easy to follow.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A sure cure for insomnia
Review: While it has a decent plot and the excellent talents of Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hilary Swank, this movie goes a little too dark. This is another one I'll probably give away. This movie's sluggish take on what was probably a great plot ruins it's appeal to thriller lovers. It dragged on so slowly that when it was over I was actually relieved While the main characters put in excellent jobs of acting, this movie moves along so slowly that it's almost painful. The beautiful Alaskan scenes are marred by the movie itself. Again, boring, boring, boring.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: This wont put you to sleep...
Review: Allthough a lot of people avoided this film in the movie theaters (myself included) because of the rather dodgy choice of the casting Robin Williams as a killer, it appears that these fears were totally unjustified.
Insomnia is a film that contributes nicely to a genre desperate gor oxygen, that of the old and classic "dtetective film".
It works because it incorporates several interesting angles to keep you interested throughout as well as guessing.
An Alaskan town as the setting for a murder case where an L.A detective is brought in? Nice touch.
A killer not played by the usual baddies but by "Ms Doubtfire"-Robin Williams? Better touch even.
A detective who cant seem to get any sleep under the never setting sun in Alaska even if his life depended on it? Good, really good.
It's mainly those 3 axes that fuel the engine of this story and, of course, the superb acting of Pacino and even Williams who settles in his killer role incredibly convincingly. It wouldnt matter, in fact, how Pacino came across here had Williams not fit in with his role. The whole thing would've collapsed in ruins.

But that's exactly it, Williams plays the loser-small-time-author-turned-killer perfectly and from there on it's a smooth ride all the way to the end.
This is a film by dierctor Chritopher Nolan who filmed Memento and if u thought that Memento avoided any cliches so does Insomnia. Insomnia HAD to avoid the cliches because ths is genre that has gone stale exactly because it rode the cliches for far too long.
Pacino's character is one that grows edgier every 5 minutes the film progresses no doubt NOT helped by his lack of sleep. He's also a character that has a lot on the line as he's been sent to Alaska because of internal tension in his department and because he's got a great reputation to protect.
That reputation takes a huge dent as he winds up killing his partner in the case (by mistake? not? not sure) and this becomes the killer's leverage point in a way that provides for numerous twists.
Williams's character is one that has become a murderer "because it happened" and he seems to have great adjustability potentials as he slips into his role like a snake would around its victim. Being the cornered animal since it's not going to be easy to remain unknown for long in the small Alaskan town environs he decides to turn this into a poker affair with the cop. As Pacino seems to either overtrust or simoultaneously underestimate his opponent the twists become weirder and better.

Much to the director's credit there's no clear-cut happy end.Had there been it would a classic case of the film that does well or great until the last 30 seconds when it all turns silly. Not the case here, the end is tense, believable, plausible and has the showdown touch the whole story has been yearning for.
Refreshing and excellently filmed it reminded me how much i've missed good detective story-films.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Film Noir in Living Colour
Review: The star of this movie is the beautiful background Alaskan scenery. Al Pacino and his partner are banished LAPD detectives, being themselves investigated back home for possible corruption. Partner is shot whilst chasing a runaway bad guy in an Alaskan fog in this atmospheric adventure. Robin Williams is a Bad Guy. Hillary Swank is an actress playing a female this time. ER Nurse Abby is a Lodge conceirge, run away from a past in the lower 48. Stylistically, this is almost film noir (only in living colour) kind of like "The Big Sleep" only with no sleep. Reviewed by TundraVision

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "Insomnia"
Review: This is a great movie! I could'nt get enough! Supurb performences from the entire cast. The direction was fantastic, and the sceanrey was awesome! Very thrilling and I recomend this movie very much! Go see it, you'll love it! especially Hillary Swank! She's awesome!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Sleepless in Alaska
Review: Al Pacino plays an LA police detective who is being investigated by Internal Affairs and is brought to Alaska to work on the case of the killing of a 17-year-old girl. A young police woman, played by Hilary Swank, is an admirer of his and she is thrilled to be working on a case with him. An incident occurs during the investigation which turns everything upside down and threatens Pacino's career. He forms an unholy alliance with a character played by Robin Williams and the rest of the movie is all about self-preservation and trying to be the last man standing. Throughout the movie Pacino fights insomnia in the land of the Midnight Sun where darkness never falls. The scenery in the movie is spectacular and the acting is very good. This is recommended viewing for those who enjoy action/thrillers.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Robin Williams...????
Review: Insomnia is a very enjoyable, gripping psychological thriller that is brilliant to the plot, but dead to the performances, except for Pacino. Williams however is a little slack in his supposed "killer" role, but he is definitely no killer. His calmness works out for his role whenver hes in public, but with Pacino, you'd figure he'd be a bit more threatening. Swank is pretty good, however unnecessary, filmmakers needed someone bigger, but she is still a worthy character. Directing is awesome, however nothing like Memento. Leaves the viewer with an eerie, but unnoticeable sense of sleepiness, almost putting him or her in the situation. Fine, disorienting plot, and as usual, Pacino is at his best.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Robin Williams Being Bad....
Review: The new film from Christopher Nolan (Memento, The Following), Insomnia is a tight suspense crime drama. Al Pacino is a star cop from the city investigating a murder in Alaska in which Robin Williams plays the sadistic killer. Pacino discovers Williams identity early on, but quite a turn of events happens. Williams blackmails Pacino after seeing his character make a very costly mistake of accidently killing his estranged partner. The film's storyline is fueled by this plot device and is engaging to watch. Although, there is no definitive directing style as in Memento, Nolan pulls off making a very fine and intelligent movie. ***1/2 stars. Check it out.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: INSOMNIA is a long way from being a snoozer
Review: Hollywood seems to have a love affair with remakes. A few years back it was hip to remake French films, then it was film versions of old TV shows, and every year there seems to be a "Sequelitis" epidemic in multiplexes worldwide. But INSOMNIA offers a Hollywood rarity: This is a remake of a NORWEGIAN movie.
While my opening comments don't offer much hope for the film, INSOMNIA is actually a great movie once you get into it. Starring Oscar winners Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank, executive produced by Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney and directed by Christopher Nolan director of the vastly overrated MEMENTO, INSOMNIA is a compelling mystery thriller.
When cop Will Dormer (Pacino) witnesses the murder of his partner, the prime suspect is mystery writer Walter Finch (Williams). But while Finch appears accommodating to the police, chronic insomniac Dormer finds himself receiving taunting calls from Finch in the middle of the night. Dormer's investigation leads him to a remote Alaskan town which never sees nightfall during the spring/summer seasons where he is partnered with local cop Ellie Burr (Hillary Swank). But with the combination of the continued threats from his unseen nemesis and the stress of the investigation, Dormer's sleeping disorder is wearing him down and disorientating him, making him an easier target.
Like MEMENTO, INSOMNIA is full of twists and is beautifully photographed. But thankfully unlike it, INSOMNIA has a plot that makes sense and keeps the viewer glued to the screen; but it is the strong characterisations by Pacino and Williams that make their cat-and-mouse game utterly compelling. I haven't seen the Norwegian version, but as far as remakes go its probably a pretty safe bet that INSOMNIA is in the upper ranks.


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