I intend to watch the Norwegian version to see how it compares but on its own, Nolan's 'Insomnia' is a fascinating experience and the cast and crew deserve all the praise for finally putting it all together. Also Williams's Finch could have been more developed considering the important role he has. Our first matchup: 1997s brutally bleak crime masterpiece Insomnia, starring a sleezy Stellan SkarsgÄrd as a detective who might be worse than the murderer hes chasing down - going up against Christopher Nolans 2002 stylish remake of the same name. The ending feels rushed and is very predictable. Tonight MG kicks off its series on Originals vs Remakes. Of course there are different ways of looking at this. On the flip side, it may seem as though 'Insomnia' loses focus in some scenes as it appears to derail. Maura Tierney makes very good use of her few scenes. Hillary Swank brings an air of freshness as the rookie detective who also has to make a difficult decision towards the end. Robin Williams skillfully downplays his part as the latently manipulative Finch as he takes advantage of Dormer's vulnerability. It's amazing how he eerily looks the part with bags under his eyes, a clumsy gait, stooped shoulders and a continuous expression of fatigue while he dives into the depth of an extremely complex character. Al Pacino proves again what an excellent actor he is. The quietness of a cold and gloomy Alaska is both intense and chilling. Then there's the clever use of fog and floating logs which in a way act as pathetic fallacies. It's a dark movie set in constant daylight. In a way, it's the antagonist of the movie that leads to Dormer's mental 'deterioration'. Daylight is used very effectively as a character of its own. Nolan's style of execution is remarkable. Incidentally, I was watching it very late at night and perhaps that is the best time to watch it. The attention to detail and the emphasis of the visuals that make the viewer experience Dormer's sleep deprived world is stunning. The production design is of very high quality and the cinematography is breathtaking. While it is the complex characters that stand out, the details of the murder case(s) are very well presented and the layered twists add well to the plot. It starts as a who done it, then turns into a how done it to why done it to what are you going to do about it. This isn't merely a 'catch-the-bad-guy' thriller but a character driven psychological drama. Thus, my comment is pretty much just about the movie rather than how it compares to the original. What convinced me to watch this one was the cast that included three super-talented actors and the director Christopher Nolan ('loved his 'Memento'). Otherwise, I would have watched the original film first. I didn't know that 'Insomnia' was based on a Norwegian movie of the same title.
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