10 Underrated Films By Amazing Directors

A 1997 Norwegian film of the same name, Insomnia is the only film to date that Christopher Nolan has not had some part in the writing of, even if he did mastermind a final draft of the screenplay.

Insomnia follows the story of two LA detectives investigating a murder in Alaska, where the sun-cycle is as unforgiving as the Football Gods are to Arsenal. In a Twin Peaks-esque set-up of an out-of-towner cop investigating the murder of a young woman while seemingly unable to satisfy his lust for slumber due to the aforementioned perishing sun cycle, Insomnia really lives up to its name. Here we see Al Pacino, Hilary Swank and the late Robin Williams starring in this somewhat bizarre game of cat and mouse.

While the non-linear setting that is so prevalent in Nolan’s later films isn’t present here, Nolan’s incredible use of natural vistas and on-set shooting are used to devastating effect. As Al Pacino’s character begins to succumb more and more to the titular ailment, we see the torture of the world around him play out as he slowly begins to lose his mind, though unlike Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks, Pacino’s Will Dormer can’t for the life of him go-with-the-flow as the paranoia sets in, the film becomes more and more claustrophobic and sets up a show-stopping finale, that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

Christopher Nolan may be known for is unrivalled Dark Knight trilogy or his mind-bending Inception or even the truly bizarre Interstellar, but Insomnia is as worthy an entry in his filmography as any other.