Detectives Jonas and Erik are called to the midnight sun country of northern Norway to investigate a recent homicide, but their plan to arrest the killer goes awry, and Jonas mistakenly shoots Erik. The suspect escapes, and a frightened Jonas pins Erik's death on the fugitive. Jonas continues to pursue the killer as he seeks to protect himself; however, his mounting guilt and the omnipresent sun plague him with an insomnia that affects his sanity.
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Reviews
Good movie but grossly overrated
As Good As It Gets
Absolutely Fantastic
It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,
Although I wasn't totally disappointed with the American version, I didn't exactly biase towards it too. The moment I learned there is an original, I wanted to see it and I expected great things from it. Well, I guess my expectations were a little too high...The original is better, just not in the league I thought it would be. The plot is familiar, although many things seem to be very different in both versions, starting with the fact that this version is more "natural", as expected in an European film. The pacing is slow, there is little action although there is some tension and "agitation". The roles are generally well portrayed by the actors.
An absorbing film that never lets the viewer down, INSOMNIA remains faithful to its premise from frame first to last. There's not a single aspect of this film to be found lacking. I'd seen it a couple of years ago, but it wasn't until I just recently revisited it that I felt compelled to comment on it- to put in my two cent's worth, as it may be. In its uncompromising scrutiny, it's as fascinating a "search for truth" as THE INTERVIEW (another compelling film I highly recommend). I never saw- nor intend to see- the "American version." I've seen far too many unnecessary American remakes of good foreign films to care about seeing one more. (THE VANISHING was an excellent, suspenseful foreign film; the American "re-imagining" was laugh-out-loud ridiculous. Jeff Bridges happens to be one of my all-time favorite actors, but the otherworldly "accent" he so badly mangles in the remake makes him look like a fool.) (And, speaking of fools doing remakes, give Knob Zombie's un-imagining of John Carpenter's classic HALLOWEEN a pass: Let's just call it SHALLOWEEN and put the legend to rest once and for all.)
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.
I watched the 2002 remake of "Insomnia" with Al Pacino when it came out. I found it to be an excellent thriller, not least because of the powerful performances from the actors (especially Robin Williams). But also because of the very unreal mood throughout the movie. Something correlating nicely with the story of Pacinos sleep-depraved cop on mission in Alaska, not coping with the around-the-clock sunlight very well.It was a lot more difficult getting to see the Norwegian original movie. But finally they showed it on TV so that i could record it. Comparing the two versions is unavoidable, deciding which one i prefer is a lot more difficult though. I can say however that watching the original has made my appreciation of the remake even higher. Christopher Nolan is an intelligent director and his remake is great proof of that. He has successfully captured the mood and essence of the story, keeping the most effective scenes from the original and adding other scenes that fit well into the story and help adapt it to the US instead of Norway.The acting in the original is generally good. I find Robin Williams performance as the killer hard to beat though. When it comes to the lead, Skarsgård is even more fit for the role of the haggard and worn-down policeman riddled with insomnia than Pacino. Skarsgård sometimes feels like the actor who gave the expression "haggard" a face.In the end i guess most people in the American audience, and also perhaps most other parts of the world, would prefer the remake of this movie. The pace is slightly higher in the remake, the style more modern and the actors of course more recognizable. This movie also feels a little less polished, but in my opinion it has just as much to offer. And if for no other reason, the original is worth watching because it highlights why the remake is such a feat. Recommended.7/10