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| Insomnia
Year: 1998
Classification: Foreign Film - Other
Directed:
- Erik Skjoldbjærg
Actors/Actresses:
- Stellan Skarsgård
- Sverre Anker Ousdal
No sleep for the wicked
This film is about to be remade by Chris Nolan (Memento), starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams (!) and Hilary Swank. I can only hope that this will bring some well-deserved attention to the original.
Stellan Skarsgaard (probably best known for playing alongside Robin Williams in 'Good Will Hunting') stars as the Swedish policeman working in Norway, sent north of the polar circle to solve a brutal murder. From there everything goes wrong.
This is a film noir shot under the midnight sun. The complex and ambiguous character studies create an internal tension that is more suspenseful than any action set-pieces. As a stylish psychological thriller it rivals 'Seven' or 'Memento'.
The other notable strength of the film is the cinematography. Scenes are uniformly over-exposed, making viewers feel the exhaustion of the main character. Colours seem to have been bleached away from the film, like from the wooden buildings along the docks. Transitions are white-outs, not fade-to-black. This is hyper-realism that sometimes achieves a dream-like quality.
If the film has any weak points, it is some of the supporting actors, who sometimes seem a bit theatrical in their speech patterns and mannerisms.
(Foreigners may be confused by the film unless they realise that Norwegian policemen require special permission to carry guns, and that this is not the case in Sweden.)
EYES WIDE OPEN
Let's imagine the same movie located in the Arizona desert instead of the arctic frontier and with a mexican-american cop hero instead of the swedish inspector lost in the utmost northern part of Norway. You've got it ? Good ! Don't you think that the plot of INSOMNIA looks more familiar now ? One could even say that hundreds of movies have already treated the subject of the detective breaking the law because of drugs abuse, heavy drinking or hot sun. So, don't judge INSOMNIA by its plot only, you would be disappointed.
In director Erik Skjoldbjaerg's INSOMNIA, presented by Criterion, chief inspector Engstroem has to struggle against the midnight sun, the six months a year 24/24 daylight and a permanent insomnia. Reflexes become less fast, reason and ethics are lost in the foggy landscapes of this strange part of the world and a fatal error of judgment can lead to a succession of law-breakings that wouldn't have happened if only Engstroem could have slept.
Very good cinematography with a zest of agreeable arty effects makes of INSOMNIA a film to watch. At least, once. Superb menu from Criterion with, alas, poor extra-features. Sound and audio perfect for me.
A National Geographic DVD.
best version of the two
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.
This is the original Norwegian version. The film was later remade starring Al Pacino. This origianl is a lot better and has more suspense. The problem is that many international films, when remade as American films are too 'hollywoodized' I like this version for numerous reasons.
In this version, filmed in the director's hometown of Tromsø, is a larger city and has more character interaction. The plot element the title is based on, being unable to sleep because of the midnight sun, seems more practical in a large city as far as crime is concerned. While in the US, Alaska is the only place where the sun is out at midnight (in the summer only).BR>Crime would be more likely in a large city.
This version also has some good scenes of the counrtyside outside Tromsø which are very beautiful.
The special features on the DVD are a theatrical trailer and TV commericals which aired in Norway.
If you have seen the 2002 version of the film, you might like this one also.
Buy Insomnia at Amazon.com
Buy posters at Allposters.com
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