INSOMNIA

With such an illustrious pair of Hollywood luminaries as Al Pacino and Robin Williams leading an excellent cast that includes Hilary Swank and Maura Tierney, one would think INSOMNIA had what it takes to become Oscar material – even when competing with such blockbuster releases as SPIDERMAN and STAR WARS II. It tries to succeed, but regrettably, just as the sleep deprived, increasingly psychotic Detective Dormer would probably admit, INSOMNIA takes an increasingly negative toll the longer it runs, the outcome of which is a good cop thriller, but not worth losing any sleep over.

Will Dormer (Al Pacino) is an LAPD Detective called to investigate, along with his partner, the murder of a young woman in a small town in Northern Alaska. He quickly discovers that he’s facing much more than just a cunning, wickedly intelligent killer. Detective Dormer also will have to contend with the unrelenting sunlight of the Arctic Circle Alaskan summers, as well as his own somber past, and this may turn out to be more than the 30-year veteran lawman can handle.

After flying in over the impressive glacial Alaskan wilderness, framed in all its majesty by their small seaplane, Dormer and his partner Hap (Martin Donovan) are met at the dock by rookie officer Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank). Dormer doesn’t waste any time getting down to business as he examines the evidence and begins to piece the ugly puzzle together. It is probably just a matter of time before the case will be solved, but as Dormer and his partner begin to close in on the killer, a mediocre writer of pulp fiction named Walter Finch (Robin Williams) from Dormer’s dark past and the constant daylight begin to slowly nibble away at his mental capacity to complete the assignment.

It doesn’t help matters any when Hap gets killed during a stakeout in a foggy beach, and nobody can tell exactly who shot him. By now, it’s been several days of sleeplessness for the Detective. Rather than getting closer to wrapping up the case, he finds himself traversing through an increasingly convoluted labyrinth, partially of his own making, while simultaneously getting himself inextricably intertwined in a bizarre “pas de deux” with the devilishly clever Finch.

Actually a remake of a 1997 Norwegian film, INSOMNIA is the movie that almost could, but regrettably didn’t. Director Christopher Nolan, who also directed the critically acclaimed MEMENTO, does not fail to miss every possible opportunity to turn this movie from a good police thriller to a great one along the lines of VERTIGO or REAR WINDOW.

Despite having such solid talent at his disposal like Al Pacino, who could probably make a student film win an Oscar, Robin Williams, who is brilliant in his characterization, and the beautiful, vulnerable-but-disciplined Hilary Swank character, the movie falls short. All this wealth of talent, which also includes a very promising Jonathan Jackson as the murdered girl’s boyfriend, and Maura Tierney as the jaded hotel keeper who winds up being the Detective’s confidant and alter ego, was just not enough to elevate INSOMNIA to its full potential without an inspired director.

From the worst set of opening titles in recent history to the inconsequential flashbacks and surreal symbolic shots (having all the impact of a passing shower in the Sahara dessert), INSOMNIA fails to make its point at almost every turn. Pacino works double-time trying to convince the audience of his deteriorating mental condition by resorting to such unimaginative gimmicks as putting the alarm clock in a drawer and trying to frantically cover the windows of the hotel room with pillows and tape. How about some solid curtains or a plain blanket, Detective? Also, how about at least giving the detective some bloodshot eyes to show his lack of sleep?

On a positive note, INSOMNIA does try to present a good moral argument and seriously ponders the age-old question of whether the ends justify the means. Even here, however, it misses the point since, in the absence of any of the characters pointing to a supreme morals-Giver, it has no solid ground upon which to rest. Man, in this film, asks the questions and tries to give the answers.

Supposedly taking place in Alaska, but mostly shot in British Columbia, Canada, and made to look purposefully unattractive, arguably for effect, even the scenery introduces an element of fakery. Turning such natural, God-created majestic beauty into a drab set of mostly dirty, ugly landscapes . . . now that will give anybody insomnia!