The title “Insomnia” ( Warner Bros., R) pretty much sums up what you’ll be experiencing after you watch this movie.

Director Christopher Nolan (“Memento”) does an excellent job of making us feel what one of the cops in this murder mystery, Will Dormer (Al Pacino), is feeling. His eyes are always struggling to stay open and any kind of light aggravates him — especially since he’s in Alaska at the time of year when it never gets dark. It doesn’t help that he’s harboring some dark secrets that are eating away at him from the inside.

Walter Finch (Robin Williams) is the killer in this movie and to no surprise, he pulls it off perfectly. He’s one of those killers whom we can’t help but feel sympathetic for. He claims he never meant to kill anyone, and he obviously is afraid of the consequences that lie ahead of him. Fortunately for him, he finds a way to bribe Dormer by calling him on the phone just to chat. With this role, Robin Williams proves once again he’s not just a comic.

Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank) is one of the local cops working on the case. She admires Pacino’s character and looks to him as an inspiration. By the end of the movie she turns into the hero and, in fact, shows Pacino what she’s learned from him.

The cinematography and atmosphere are great in this film. Since it’s sunny 24/7 in Alaska, we never see it dark outside, yet Nolan’s use of lighting is spectacular. For example, light shines on Pacino’s face, illuminating his saggy eyes and tired face. In the director commentary, Nolan talks about how important lighting is to the movie.

Perhaps the best quality of this movie is the directing. Nolan is definitely a director on the rise and he already has developed a style that distinguishes him from other directors.

There is one deleted scene on the DVD, but it’s nothing major. The director’s commentary is worth watching if you are a movie buff. We get to see the order in which scenes were actually shot, in comparison to the order they appear in the final product. There is also an interesting behind-the-scenes featurette. “Insomnia” easily is one of the best movies of the year and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Pacino and Williams involved in the upcoming Oscar race.