[.ca] Insomnia (Widescreen) (ISBN 6305389519)

From Amazon.com:
This 1997 film from Norway and neophyte director Erik Skjoldbjaerg delivers the goods with unsettling effectiveness. It's an intense, smart, and taut thriller if only because what it eerily implies is creepier than the film's reality. Opening with a churning, chilling murder of a young woman, Insomnia invites the viewer--as well as its protagonist, celebrated Oslo homicide cop Jonas Engström (Stellan Skarsgård)--into the mind and thoughts of a killer by making Engström fatally flawed himself. While in pursuit of the murderer, Engström makes a mistake; he accidentally shoots his partner and friend and covers up his deed in a panic. But he overlooks a minor detail: the real killer has seen him commit the crime. What ensues is a layered, complex, and unnerving descent into chaos, brought on by the inability to sleep in this land of the midnight sun. Engström suffers from insomnia, which warps his logic and resolve, and before long he's totally unraveled and unsure of his every move. But not before a twisty transference and countertransference occurs between cop and killer. The two play a game of high-stakes one-upmanship that surprises in the end. Insomnia is fresh and psychologically bent, full of Scandinavian despair and dark humor, and it boasts a film noir pulse beneath its blinding light. --Paula Nechak

great movie:
loads better than the robin williams-al pacino ripoff

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 Tromsoe, 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). Crime would be more likely in a large city. This version also has some good scenes of the counrtyside outside Tromsoe 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.

Great INSOMNIA Movie:
Being a guy I like my action movies. Insomnia is a great thriller starring Stellan Skarsgard. It is a foreign language film with subtitles. But don't let that let you lose hope in this masterpiece that inspired the 2002 movie with Al Pacino, Robin Williams, and Hillary Swank. This movie has to do with a girl's murder and who did it. It also involves Skarsgard charcter's who has a secret to keep. It has a great actor by the name of Bjorn Moan "Eilert". His scenes are powerful and in one you get to see his behind. Overall a movie that will keep your interest and won't put you to sleep. See it for Bjorn Moan.

the good shoots in both:
I like both films (Hollywood and original one). Both of them present the great performance and story telling. The actors of both are doing great. However, there seems to be concerned of politic correctness in Hollywood version and losing the tone of reality in discussion of the confusion vs. clarification in morality The original one shows the less moral detective being struggling between the consciousness and delusional sense. Despite the sex scandal around him before he lands his job in that small town and dog killing to manipulate the evidence, he grabbed one girl's leg while driving her to see the crime scene. Also, he sexually assaults the hotel clerk behind the desk. The scene that really touches me is that when the detective placed the weapon that kills his partner under the innocent young man's bed to put him into guilty plea. That scene would not happen in the Pacinoï¿1/2s role in the new version. In Hollywood's one, there is struggle between consciousness and denying. However, Pacinoï¿1/2s struggle is mostly being contributed to the dead of his partner from the friendly fire and nature environment. Pacinoï¿1/2s role of new version is still more "perfect" in morality with the tones of demanding audiencesï¿1/2 sympathy rather than the discussion of integrity of the detectiveï¿1/2s role. For me, Al Pacinoï¿1/2s role is also to play as the victim under the stress of insomnia and current incident surrounding him. On the other hands, Stellan Skarsgardï¿1/2s one would demand less sympathy and could show you the sense that everyone could play as devil as guiltï¿1/2

Minimalistically scary:
It is inevitable that anyone who has seen the American version of Insomnia will compare it to this version. And honestly, there is nothing in this Scandinavian version that the American version lacks. If anything, the characters are more developed in the American one, and the acting is better. But that doesn't mean that this version isn't worth watching. The cinematography is artistic and the sets are spare, which makes the movie scarier, and the language barrier faced by the Swedish detective (Skarsgard, whom many will recognize from Good Will Hunting) while traveling to Norway is interesting. However, the villain is nowhere near as chilling as Robin Williams' interpretation, and the hero is as much a villain himself as the man he goes after. So for those who prefer simplicity and attention to atmosphere over a developed plot, this is a very good foreign thriller. Otherwise, stick with the Pacino version.