Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Written by: Hillary Seitz
Based on the 1997 film of the same name by Erik Skjoldbaerg
Starring: Al Pacino
Runtime: 118 Minutes
Release: May 24th 2002
His eyes were reddened by the cruel prank of life. His demeanor, tired from the scrutiny of the people, and when he discovered his friend's demise might have been caused by him to begin with, a whirlwind began to drive him to the edge.
The film concerns Will Dormer. A seasoned detective sent to the town of Nightmute, Alaska to investigate the murder of a young woman although there are rumors that he is merely escaping the accusations held against him for tampering with evidences in regards to a previous case. When his friend, Hap died in action. When a man named Walter Finch begins taunting the detective, he lost his mind.
When I first watched the picture back in 2010, I had no clear consensus of what the film is all about, what the conundrum behind everything the movie stands for. It was a suggestion made by a teacher of mine to watch, whilst I recommended "Gremlins." My first impression, I thought it is going to be a joyless, unnecessarily bleak film. Once I watched it though, the first thing I realized is that the acting in the movie is amazing.
Al Pacino is mesmerizing as Will Dormer. He perfectly embodies the dry, tattered, experienced detective, though he never really took himself so seriously, as evident by his interaction with Ellie Burr, the rookie. He is also great at embodying a tormented man with only his facial expressions and his body language.
As is aforementioned before, Hilary Swank is perfect as Ellie Burr. She nails the character's tenacity and will but she also exude innocence and naivete, obviously unaware of the hardships and filth her job will entail.
Robin Williams surprised me as Walter Finch. His presence alone sends chills down my spine. He is cold, calm, calculative and more than capable of creating a façade of an approachable old man.
The movie is also beautifully filmed and lit. It is bleak enough to emphasize the general tone of thestory, but it is not pretentiously filmed. It is beautifully filmed enough to serve the narrative without sacrificing the grit.
Despite this, I have a few gripes. There are some action sequences that I felt did not anything to the story at all. The psychological tension of Will Dormer is perfectly entertaining enough. Why studio executives felt that a movie that is brimming with tension needed action sequences is baffling to me. The ending to me, is also problematic. A film this great deserve a much more powerful and palpable ending that a clichéd shootout that we've gotten in a lot of other movies of cinema's past and present.
Despite this, I thoroughly enjoyed this film. I enjoyed its themes. I find the suspense breathtaking. Its ideas dark and fascinating. Despite having a few gripes, the film all in all is a competently made, gorgeously filmed, beautifully acted masterpiece. This is Christopher Nolan at his simplest and at his most potent. Movies like this are too far and few in between which is why I will savor every moment when it does.
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