Insomnia

After the brilliant Memento, Nolan reached for someone else’s script and once again he didn't go wrong. A great thriller that has more to offer than other similar genre films. The magical atmosphere of the Alaskan setting, the tired and circumstantially depressed Al Pacino, and Williams in an unconventional role (and he's good at it!), it's simply worth watching. The ambiguity of the behaviour of Detective Dormer, investigator and accomplice at the same time, adds a new, unusual dimension to the narrative. And if you happen to suffer from insomnia, add another star :) (2003-06-21)

Simply Nolan in his beginnings. For some, this may be a weaker piece, probably due to its intimacy, but if someone less talented had directed such a piece, it would likely have been the highlight of their career. Not so for Chris Nolan. Insomnia is an excellent crime thriller, starring Al Pacino and especially Robin Williams, who proved that thanks to his genius, he can play almost anything. The mandatory corner case extinguished, and I only regret that I didn't get to this movie earlier..80% (2014-08-24)

A professionally and creatively shot crime thriller that utilizes a decent budget and can afford to have an exceptional cast. Al Pacino and Robin Williams are great actors, and especially the screenplay gives significantly more space to Williams compared to the original Norwegian film, making him an exceedingly dangerous opponent. Compared to the European version, the American film is, of course, more polished, with the role of the policewoman played by the charming Hilary Swank, and the showdown between the criminal and the policeman naturally ends with catharsis and punishment of evil, which cannot be said for the European version. Nevertheless, it is a film fully comparable to the original. It is just not as authentic and raw, but instead indulges in beautiful shots of Nordic nature and provides the viewer with additional emotionally charged experiences such as well-executed intense fights to the death. Overall impression: 80%. (2006-06-15)

After Memento, Insomnia feels rather sleepy in terms of the directing, and Christopher Nolan's creative geysers remain quietly asleep this time. We do not see any magnificent narrative strategies, but rather the clever grasp of the conventional narrator and his addition to fragmented fragments of retrospective. Otherwise, Insomnia is standard fare, which does not lack atmosphere, but unfortunately it feels... well, sleepy. An unequivocal positive are the excellent acting performances of everyone, Al Pacino above all, as well as a very interesting script that plays with expected clichés. Insomnia is definitely not one of the best thrillers, as it has the slightly bitter aftertaste of routine and wasted potential. Nevertheless, it is an extremely intelligent and interesting film. (2005-07-20)

A sleepy Pacino, a psychopathic Robin Williams and the perfect directing from Christopher Nolan are the trumps in the hand of this criminal drama. As the days go by, the light burns into your eyes more and more, and the same happens to Dormer himself, the atmosphere thickens with each tired blink and the ending, which isn’t overly showy, still astounds you. And now please leave me be... I want... to sleeeep... (2005-12-14)