RollM - Movie Reviews |
Insomnia (starring Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank; written by Hillary Seitz, based upon the Norwegian film, Insomnia; directed by Christopher Nolan; Rated R.)
Christopher Nolan directed last year’s brilliant film, Memento. It should come as no surprise, then, that he has done it again with a clever psychological thriller, Insomnia. Al Pacino (Will Dormer) turns in his best performance in years as a Los Angeles detective investigating a homicide in summertime Nightmute, Alaska, where the “white nights” are anything but muted — and are not all that’s keeping him awake. Robin Williams, as cool psychotic killer Walter Finch, proves once again that he is not just a comic, but a talented dramatic actor as well. And Academy-Award winner Hilary Swank as the hero-worshipping young cop also shows her fine dramatic abilities.
Nolan provides just the right amount of tension to keep you engrossed throughout. Early in the film, Dormer (another neat play on words) tracks the murderer through the fog and shoots his partner instead. As the movie continues to unfold, Dormer and Finch, who saw the shooting, play a riveting and intelligent cat-and-mouse game. The tension continues right up until the startling ending.
It’s a bit early in the year to begin talking Oscar, but it wouldn’t be surprising
if there were some nominated performances from this outstanding film.
5 owls out of 5.
The Bourne Identity starring Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen; screenplay by Tony Gilroy and William Blake Herron, based on the novel by Robert Ludlum; directed by Doug Liman; Rated PG-13.)
What would summer be without action thrillers? The Bourne Identity is one of the early contenders in this season’s crop of popcorn movies and seems destined to be a genre hit, but the movie will likely have to do box-office battle with the highly anticipated Minority Report (not yet released at press time).
There’s plenty of action, although the story line is a bit thin. Damon stars as Jason Bourne, who’s suffering from amnesia as he’s fished out of the Mediterranean, with two bullets in his back and a Swiss bank account number imbedded in his leg. As soon as he’s well enough, he heads off to the bank, where he scoops up the contents of a safe deposit box loaded with loot and a handful of passports. Still drawing an identity blank, he goes to the American consulate, where he is spotted by those who would bring this reluctant spy in from the cold. In his escape, he links up with Marie (Potente), who helps him flee the CIAgents who want to kill him. From then on, the film mostly devolves into one long chase scene, with Bourne trying to outwit, outsmart and outlast so he can be a survivor in the deadly game of spy vs. spy. There’s one narrow escape after another, with car chases, gun battles and hand-to-hand encounters, all while he begins to learn who he really is.
In the hands of another director, Bourne Identity might have been dull, but Liman manages to keep the film on track and the pacing lively. If you like action thrillers, grab a box of popcorn and enjoy the ride.
3 ½ owls out of 5