Co-written and directed by Erik Skjoldbjærg, written by Nikolaj Frobenius, a Swedish murder investigator is assigned a case to find a mysterious killer. However, things dramatically change when he accidentally kills his own partner and tries to cover it up. Starring: Stellan Skarsgård, Sverre Anker Ousdal, Bjørn Floberg, Maria Mathiesen, Gisken Armand and Kristian Figenschow.
A question that likely a lot of people wonder, so to get it out the way quickly, although many people probably do already know, yes Christopher Nolan’s 2002 film of the same name starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams is a remake of this. However, if you’re coming into Insomnia having seen the remake, you may want to adjust your expectations accordingly as understandably Nolan’s American-ised version is much more outwardly dramatic and a classic game of cat and mouse, versus this darker, somewhat seedy original, and that’s actually a great thing. The two interpretations nicely reflect the different cultures and feel like separate entities rather than simply rehashing the same story.
The key element being that Erik Skjoldbjærg’s film feels much more ethically and morally questionable, in a way that’s casual and cold. That’s something that also bleeds into the style of Insomnia, the way that it moves and the atmosphere is clinical and formulated. There may be the occasional explosion of anger and frustration, in a very traditionally masculine, egotistical kind of way, but there’s no real ups and downs. The film remains on this chilly, even keel all the way throughout which is surprisingly compelling.
Especially in how its portrayed by Stellan Skarsgård, the ease with which he can ignore all rules of society or outright laws holds a suaveness to it, despite his entirely narcissistic, combative and manipulative personality. He leads the way with such a twisted confidence, he’s mostly unsympathetic and yet not unlikable, which absolutely speaks to the quality of Skarsgård’s performance. Another highlight is Gisken Armand, with this unwavering ethical backbone and how her delivery is always slightly accosting, trying to nudge Skarsgård’s Jonas to do the right thing and stay on a righteous path, without being completely inflexible. It’s an interesting and complicated line to walk and Armand does it well.
Insomnia is a somehow simultaneously a traditional thriller while following that formula in its own unique way. It doesn’t put a lot of focus on the victim, or the killer, it sticks with this detective as he works his way through an abundance of moral and ethical conflicts. It contrasts that inescapably bright setting with its casual chilling darkness. The story quietly unravels with a predatory edge and a nicely untrustworthy air. Stellan Skarsgård is unsurprisingly excellent and brings so much to a character who likes to say very little. It’s understated yet charged.
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