Insomnia

Remakes, as a rule, tend to fall into two categories: total pieces of shit and totally unnecessary pieces of shit. A very select few, however, manage either to improve on the original or become solid movies in their own right. Insomnia, director Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to the incredible mindfuck Memento, falls into the latter category—succeeding a little bit in both senses by improving on some aspects of Erik Skjoldbjaerg’s 1997 original, while incorporating the inevitable Hollywood-isms into an exciting-in-its-own-right thriller.

Will Dormer (Al Pacino) is a cop nearing the end of his venerable career who is called up to Alaska to investigate the brutal murder of a teenage girl. Once there, he battles not only the mysterious killer but Alaska’s months of endless sunlight (hence the title). The original took place in Norway, which is, of course, nestled within “the Land of the Midnight Sun,” making the choice of setting in this remake an inspired one since it maintains the key conceits of the original: A cop on the edge slowly driven mad by a tough case and lack of sleep. Although the “tell, don’t show” dialogue robs the movie of the original’s hypnotic, dream-like feel, this Insomnia does flesh out large portions of the story (in particular, Robin Williams’ killer is a much more developed character than the original’s) and adds some great stuff of its own (the chase across the floating logs is amazing). Pacino’s role, for the most part, is the type Morgan Freeman would have been perfect for had he not played it 80 times before. Pacino and Williams luckily recognize the subdued tone of the movie and downplay their usual tics and quirks. Hilary Swank, meanwhile, struggles to make the most of her underwritten role (one of the movie’s few weak points). That said, Insomnia—the occasional cop cliché aside—stands out as a unique thriller that’s bleak, dark, and engrossing amid the flash-and-fluff of typical summer fare.