Insomnia

Erik Skjoldbjaerg's 1997 film 'Insomnia' starring Stellan Skarsgard is a fine example of the rich films being offered by the foreign film market. Skarsgard plays Jonas Engstrom, a disgraced detective who, with his partner, travels to Norway to help a small town solve the murder of a 17-year-old girl. Due to the atmospheric conditions (there is 24 hour sunshine) and recent events, Engstrom is suffering from a severe bout of insomnia, which is causing problems with his work and psyche.

Not having seen Christopher Nolan's remake, I didn't know what to expect from the story, so I was pleasantly surprised by the unconventional progression of the storyline and the various twists within the script. I have only seen Skarsgard in a couple of films, but he is always fantastic, as he is in this film as well. There are few actors who can keep a straight face, yet still manage to convey complex emotion, and Skarsgard is one of them. He walked through his scenes with a somberness that is reminiscent of most M. Knight Shymalan heroes; powerful, yet weary. Skjoldbjaergs's direction is absolutely beautiful. The colors are quite sharp, and most scenes are expertly framed – most would make gorgeous still frames.

I plan to see the remake of 'Insomnia' eventually, but whether you have seen it or not, I would recommend catching the film that inspired it. 7/10.

--Shelly

I found this film to be exceptionally entertaining. The other reviewer may have found the cinematography/appearance of this film cheap but I found it to be very hipotic. Perhaps people native to the country of the films setting have seen better depictions of their environment, but I think american audiences will enjoy the images. Stellan Skarsgard makes this film worth seeing on his own.

Brilliant, moody, a bit creepy. A noirish thriller. Stellan Skarsgard gives a wonderfully subtle performance in the lead role of a Swedish police detective suffering from sleep deprivation while on assignment in Norway. Stylistically the director and cinematographer effectively recreate the alienated and somewhat hallucinatory feeling of being sleep deprived and in a foreign country. There's more to the story of course, but to reveal those details would spoil the surprises. Be warned, if you like your movie heroes uncomplicated then stay away from "Insomnia".

Although I wasn't totally disappointed with the American version, I didn't exactly biase towards it too. The moment I learned there is an original, I wanted to see it and I expected great things from it. Well, I guess my expectations were a little too high...

The original is better, just not in the league I thought it would be. The plot is familiar, although many things seem to be very different in both versions, starting with the fact that this version is more "natural", as expected in an European film. The pacing is slow, there is little action although there is some tension and "agitation". The roles are generally well portrayed by the actors.

Why does Hollywood re-make European films? Because they are so great. And this is no exception. I saw the Pacino version first then searched out this European original. Despite the bad press of the Pacino version, I did enjoy it very much.

However, this version is darker, raw and allows the view to see and feel more. A must see for those who have seen the American take of this film. A must see for those who love well acted European cinema.

I don't wish to recommend which version you should watch first, yes the story is known the second time around, but it is the character differences, how the films were made, and the use of dialogue (or not) that are important... surely. Enjoy.