Director Christopher Nolan is making people remember his name. Nolan who began his filmmaking career with the black and white movie "Following" in 1998 and then hit the big time with his Oscar nominated film "Memento" has raised his own bar by delivering a nice tight thriller called "Insomnia"

Christopher Nolan's "Insomnia" is a remake of a 1997 Norwegian film by the same name. This time we have Al Pacino playing dirty detective Will Dormer, who is being investigated by Internal Affairs in Los Angeles, arriving on a plane in Alaska with his partner Hap Eckhart played by Martin Donovan. They are greeted by Dormer enthusiast Ellie Burr, played by Hilary Swank.

Burr takes them to the station to look at a dead body of a teenage girl. We see the Alaskan police that are not too happy to have the slick city cops from L.A. coming to their turf. We also get to see Dormer at work, looking at the body and noticing things that have been missed. Walking us as an audience through what may have happened to this girl.

With that, the cops are on the case and the various plots are set in motion.

One piece of the film centers, of course, on the investigation of the murder. Another piece follows the stress the Dormer and Eckhart are under as they are being investigated themselves and the feeling that even though they are far away from Los Angeles there are still eyes watching them. We also follow the giddiness that Burr has, as she gets the chance to work with her idol. And the last and most important piece is the fact that at this particular time of year in Alaska, it never gets dark.

Nolan plays with time and takes it upon himself to create a world that sleeps, so to speak. Dormer has too many things on his mind and would love to lay down and get some shut eye but it doesn't happen.

This is where Al Pacino takes us with him on his journey through sleep depravation. The thought that when your mind is racing and you have to put a puzzle together but you are sleep walking through the day is very powerful. And when that power is in the hands and acting ability of Pacino you just get taken for a ride. This is one of the best performances by an actor in many a year. Pacino can do so much without saying a word, his looks, his tired and old eyes.

Of course if you have seen any of the advertisement's for "Insomnia" than you know that Robin Williams plays the "bad guy". This is what also makes for an intriguing film, we know the killer, Dormer knows who the killer is but it is getting the evidence to catch the killer that makes it even more pressing. Williams plays it straight and is convincing.

There are plenty of twists and turns along the way including one of the best chase scenes I have seen with Dormer chasing Finch over logs in the water, it is truly breath taking.

The directing is top notch, the acting is also excellent, especially by the three previous Oscar winners, Pacino, Swank and Williams.

The tagline for the film is "Don't Close Your Eyes", after seeing "Insomnia" I don't know how you can.