TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film

Executscan Expected more

Stellead Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

Stoutor It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

avik-basu1889 This is a well made film with vibrant cinematography, good direction and staging and a good central performance by Stellan Skarsgård which lends a bit of mystique to the character of the Jonas, the protagonist. But having said that I was underwhelmed by 'Insomnia'. As a matter of fact, having already seen Nolan's version, I'd have to say I prefer the remake over the original.Erik Skjoldbjærg's 'Insomnia' is a film ripe with nihilism just like a lot of crime-noirs. However unlike the dark and dreary visual texture that most noir films are known for, Skjoldbjærg plants his ideas of nihilism in the vibrant and inescapable sunlight of the Norwegian Arctic.After the accidental killing of his partner, we see Jonas leave no stone unturned to cover up the reality and consequently go through intense inner struggle with his conscience never leaving him alone just like the bright sun. However this particular struggle feels a bit hollow and less effective than the same struggle that Pacino's character undergoes in Nolan's remake because of a specific story element. In the remake, right from the beginning, the relationship between Pacino's character and his partner is established to be one of mutual animosity. Hence when he accidentally kills his partner, he goes through an inner crisis and self doubt about whether it really was an accident or whether he subconsciously carried out one of latent desires. The animosity between the two also gives Pacino's character a genuine reason to hide the reality in order to avoid any fledgling doubts in the minds of the others. In Skjoldbjærg's film the relationship between Jonas(Skarsgård) and his partner is normal and friendly. Hence due to the absence of any animosity in the relationship, Jonas' decision to hide the reality of what happened to his partner in the crime scene seems hollow and unreasonable. We are given subtle hints that maybe an inherent darkness and propensity for the immoral has always been inside Jonas and this particular incident triggers his deep descension. We see Jonas fall further and further into the depths of iniquity, similar to the protagonist's actions in 'Bad Lieutenant', but without its running theme of self-loathing which made 'Bad Lieutenant' poignant.In the end, 'Insomnia' is a well made, but hollow film which is willing to show unreasonable nihilism without a rich exploration of the characters. Unfortunately, it's a bit forgettable.

Cleve Cheng While the concept had potential - brought out in the superior Hollywood remake - the unfocused storyline and stoic acting made me doze off briefly while watching this film. This does not happen to me often, and when it does it's a sure sign that my mind has wandered.Nolan's remake is more suspenseful, features more effective performances (especially by Robin Williams), and a better sense of the relentlessness of the midnight sun. The original's jump-cut-as-lacuna editing may have been fresh for 1997, but movies like Fight Club and Memento have since greatly refined the screen representation of lapses of consciousness, and this review is being written in 2012.

ccthemovieman-1 This Norwegian film was re-made for English-speaking audiences in 2002 and starred Al Pacino. This original one starred Stellan Skarsgard, an equally well- known actor of Europe.Critics usually favor the first version of any movie than is re-made, and they are more likely to favor a European version. Sometimes they are correct, but not here. The re-make, although nothing super, is still better than this version, although isn't bad.Europeans would like this version more because of its ambiguity and moodiness, which they (and elitist U.S. critics) think makes it more attractive to the "cerebral." Entertainment-wise, this version simply isn't as interesting....and it IS the "entertainment business," after all.The ending of this Norwegian film also leaves one unsatisfied, but the filmmakers did a nice job of portraying paranoia and the good-vs-evil nature of us human beings. Skarsgard does a wonderful job in that respect. He exhibits such a look of a haunted, depressed man!

The_Void As is always the case when American producers decide to remake a relatively unknown foreign film, there are a lot of people that say this Norwegian film is better than the American one. In actual fact, there's not a lot in it; but this film deserves more credit for having the original idea, and it has to be said that the idea is a good one as this film carries off it's central theme and plot in style, and the two blend excellently to create a compelling and intriguing psychological portrait of both a criminal and the effects of not getting enough sleep. The film carries off an excellent reversal in the common psychological theme, in that this time; it's the daylight that causes all the horrors. Insomnia takes place in Norway where, for one half of the year it's light and the other half it's dark. It's currently light, and detective Jonas Engström has been assigned to a case involving a murdered girl. The plot thickens when the detective accidentally shoots his partner whilst chasing the killer, and then proceeds to cover up the murder he has committed while the search for the girl's murderer continues.The American remake adheres to the plot of the original rather closely, and that's a shame for someone like me who has seen the remake as I always knew what was going to happen next. But even so, while the plot didn't contain any surprises for me; watching the detective's descent into insanity owing to his insomnia makes for a great watch, and the as the plotting is expertly handled by director Erik Skjoldbjærg, watching it play out is always a pleasure. Stellan Skarsgård takes the lead role, and while he may not have the star power of Al Pacino, he manages to deliver a darker and all the more believable performance as the put-upon policeman at the centre of the tale. In fact, all the ensemble cast comes together well and the film feels very much like an A-class production at all times. Insomnia features a number of memorable scenes that help to ensure that the audience will remember it beyond just its central ideas; and overall, it's clear that the writing team have succeeded in making a film that transcends its cat and mouse formula.