Review of Insomnia (2002) by Parker B — 26 Jun 2017

Christopher Nolan has a formula that most are aware of by now. Between Memento, Inception, and Interstellar, he has established himself as the director who creates psychological thrillers with plot twists that no one expects, even if they expect the existence of a plot twist. Insomnia is nothing like any of these. Nolan has definitely left his mark, sure, but the mark he made was on a mystery thriller that is intense from start to finish. This is helped, in part, by a riveting performance from Al Pacino. His performance goes beyond dialogue, as Pacino makes the most out of movement and emotion.

Nolan is a special sort of director, as he pays attention to more detail than most others. The slightest mistake never goes unnoticed and he makes sure to catch shots that most directors wouldn't think twice about. It seems like something small to worry about, but comparing this movie to most others, it makes a difference.

Although Insomnia was praiseworthy for so many reasons, the major letdown in this film is that many of the lines didn't feel authentic. It was as if the actors were just reading lines, instead of playing a part. It wasn't noticeable throughout the entire film, but it was distracting at times. Despite this, Insomnia is still a movie everyone should watch. It's a spectacular thriller directed by the Master of Mystery.