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Christopher Nolan made quite an entrance into the movie industry in 2001 with Memento, arguably one of the most ingenious films to come along in years. With its unpredictable plot, backward story, and flawless production, the film impressed many. Nolan's second major release is the more mainstream. Insomnia is a remake of the 1997 Norwegian thriller. This time around Nolan had a bigger budget, which he used to hire Al Pacino, Robin Williams and supporting actress Hillary Swank.

Insomnia weaves the story of veteran LA cop Will Dormer (Al Pacino) as he tries to uncover the brutal murder of a teenage girl in Alaska. Dormer's partner Hap (Martin Donovan) accompanies him to Alaska, but reveals that he is cutting a deal with Internal Affairs and offering sensitive information about Dormer's past. Hillary Swank plays an up and coming Alaskan cop who idolizes Dormer, despite his shortcomings. The villain (Robin Williams) is unconventional in his tactics and as the story unfolds, we see that Dormer may not be all he is cracked up to be either. The harsh 24-hour Alaskan light has a leading role as well, It turns into both a literal and metaphorical enemy for Dormer as he fights a villain and his own internal demons.

Insomnia is a brilliant, well executed film. Al Pacino easily gives the best performance by a lead actor so far this year. Casting Robin Williams as the film's villain is at first quite a surprise, but he fits the role well. Even Hillary Swank is believable as a young, innocent cop. Even more impressive is the camera work and lighting. The shots are flawless. For a film in which light is an antagonist, the light bares down in a disturbing manner. Particularly striking is the scene where Pacino complains about how light the room is right before the light is turned on.

Insomnia works best as a character study of a good man gone bad. When the light torments Pacino, it is not just because he can't sleep, it is because he has become dark inside. We see glimpses of goodness and evil in Pacino's character, revealing that his transformation was a gradual one. More than anything, Insomnia blurs the lines between good and evil. Like Memento, this is a story that makes the viewer think beyond what he or she is normally used to. The movie could be considered disturbing, but more than anything it is intelligent and thought provoking. Christopher Nolan’s , a well made follow up to Memento establishes his winning streak.

Trae Cadenhead 5/31/2002