Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Disappointment for a huge fan!

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

While this movie isn't up to par to masterpieces like Suspiria or Profondo rosso. It does prove that Dario Argento is a master of suspense. From the opening till the end the tension never lets down. For people who love whodunits will have a field day with this one. Since there is one huge misdirection that will keep you guessing until it is revealed. Even if you picked the killer early on there there is this misdirection that prevents you of being sure. Once revealed you maybe will laugh as hard as Max von Sydow did at the ending. Speaking of,he is excellent as ever as the brilliant sleuth who suffers from old age. Good movie!

Sleepless (2001) finds director Dario Argento at his self-referential best; producing a film that seems like a veritable greatest hits package of his more recognisable trademarks and preoccupations, including the revelation of a traumatic childhood event, the reliance on the juxtaposition between an older, more seasoned character and his young protégé turned amateur sleuths, the foregrounding of a burgeoning love affair and the always prevalent notions of sight and perception. It taps into the territory of his earlier films perfectly, with the depiction of a black-gloved serial killer prowling the night and killing to the rules of a bizarre children's storybook that is rife with reminisces to Argento's earliest masterpiece, Deep Red (1975). Admittedly, it could be argued that the film falls apart a little towards the end, but for the most part Sleepless is a fantastic thriller, and easily Argento's best film since Opera (1987) more than a decade before.It was touted at the time as the director's return to his more traditional Giallo roots of films like The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970), Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1974) and Tenebrae (1982); though I'm sure some would still argue that it doesn't quite achieve the creative highs of those particular films, with the occasional flaws - many of which Argento fans will have come to know and love - marring the film in the second half. However, I think even the most vocal critics would be able to see it as a self-conscious effort on the part of the filmmaker to create a film with a writhing and endlessly fascinating plot, some bold visual compositions and scenarios that recall the greatness of his earlier work, and of course, lashings of gratuitous violence. The presentation might be a little more cutting-edge, with the modern-day, 21st century streets of Rome and contemporary attitudes of its characters further fuelling the plot; however, the structure of the film, the relationships between the characters and the fantastic way that Argento builds tension and dread is right out of his "animal trilogy" of the 1970's.The murder scenes are as inventive as ever, filled with those trademark POV shots and plenty of bravura, with the cinematography of Ronnie Taylor thankfully being closer to his work on Opera (1987) rather than The Phantom of the Opera (1998). The opening scene itself is one of the greatest things that Argento has ever directed, skilfully establishing the back-story of the killer and his particular Modus operandi as he stalks a terrified prostitute through a passenger train and out onto the empty, nocturnal train station, in a manner that recalls the opening sequences of that perennial favourite Suspiria (1977). The grandiose scenes of stalk and slash terror is to be expected from Argento, especially with the memory of his earlier films still in mind, however, what really sets Sleepless apart from his more recent works, like The Stendhal Syndrome (1996) and The Card Player (2005), is the compelling performance from a genuine acting legend; in this instance, the ever-brilliant Max Von Sydow.Von Sydow plays Ulisse Moretti, a now retired police detective still obsessing over a shocking murder case that took place eighteen years earlier. As fate conspires to throw Moretti together with Giacomo, the son of the original victim, the two men decide to re-investigate the case in light of recent murders that seem to point to the same killer, or indeed, killers. Though Stefano Dionisi as the earnest and enthusiastic Giacomo lacks the natural ability of Von Sydow (a fact not helped by his rather poor English dubbing), he still manages to carry his strands of the narrative fairly well, while the scenes between their two particular characters resonate with the same kind of mutual respect and contagious curiosity that was found between the lead characters of The Cat O' Nine Tails (1971) or even the aforementioned Deep Red. Some of the other performances aren't quite as strong, though the shadow of Von Sydow and the technical virtuosity and ace storytelling of Argento definitely make up for it; turning a film that could have easily become generic and derivative into a genuinely interesting murder mystery.It might not be Argento's greatest film; lacking the unconventional flair and visual eccentricity of Deep Red or the self-reflexive experimentation and daring design of the classic Tenebrae, it does at least deliver on the basic levels of story, characters and vision. As mentioned before, the ending falls apart somewhat; certainly not to the degree of The Stendhal Syndrome or The Card Player, but enough to detract from the overall experience. It's a shame too, as the individual elements of the film are great and filled with numerous Argento touches of horror and humour. However, for this to really be considered a masterpiece it needed the kind of jaw-dropping final-act revelation of the films he made in the 70's and early 80's. Without question, Sleepless is still a great film for those in the right frame of mind and definitely something that should be appreciated by long-term Argento devotees still desperate for something that comes close to the tone of his more iconic early works.

Not exactly a return to form for Argento, bur certainly a step in the right direction (after several less-than stellar efforts), Sleepless sees the director plundering his 70s and 80s back catalogue to put together what is probably his most satisfying movie since Opera (1987).Max von Sydow plays Moretti, an ex-detective called out of retirement to help assist in a murder case which is somehow connected to a series of vicious killings that took place seventeen years earlier. Has the ghost of Vincenzo, the thriller writing dwarf who was accused of the original murders, returned from the grave to kill again, or is someone else responsible for the grisly deaths?A complicated, and often nonsensical story (just how us giallo fans like 'em) twists and turns like one of Argento's Louma Crane-mounted cameras, delivering many elements that will be very familiar to avid fans of giallo cinema: a black-leather-glove wearing killer; a dwarf; creepy nursery rhymes; prowling camera-work; a Goblin synth/rock score; a spooky mannequin; passages read aloud from books; visual and aural clues; and spectacularly bloody death scenes (courtesy of Sergio Stivaletti).Of course, this is familiar territory for the director, and the man known as 'the Italian Hitchcock' delights in showing his audience that he still has what it takes to dazzle with his visuals, scare with carefully crafted scenes of terror, and repulse with incredibly visceral special effects (multiple stabbings, finger removal, a touch of face-smashing resulting in broken teeth, a severed head, death via musical instrument, and a marvellous bullet through the head). He also throws in some welcome nudity, and even manages to get his daughter yet another movie credit by using some of her 'poetry' in the film (she is responsible for the dreadful children's rhyme The Death Farm).Sleepless isn't unmissable Argento—but it is well worth a look if you get the chance.7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.

As a child, a young boy named Giacomo witnesses his mother's murder, but cannot see the killer's face. After the killer is presumed dead, he goes on with his life. But years later the killer returns and Giacomo is back in the thick of things: he teams up with a retired detective he met as a boy (played by Max von Sydow) and they track the clues around Turin.Dario Argento consistently delivers films that I consider top-notch. If you look at a list of my reviewed films from highest to lowest ranked, you'll see a cluster of his work right up in the top ten or twenty (which is pretty high considering how many reviews I've done). This is the lowest I've ranked his work yet, and let me be clear about my reasoning: this is not a bad film. On the contrary, it is a very good film (some say the best since "Suspiria", although I would disagree).The primary reason this is ranked lower is because it's largely recycled from Argento's earlier giallo films. Particularly, this film has strong connections to "Bird With the Crystal Plumage" and "Deep Red". You have a protagonist who is connected to a murder and is investigating it, though not actually part of the police. This protagonist gets a strong clue about the killer, but is not able to make out what it is until after examining his memory five or six times (in this case it's a noise he hears the killer make). And, there's at least one red herring: as soon as the killer is caught, it may not be the real killer (again, this one has strong "Plumage" connections).My other problem, and it's relatively minor, is that one of the main characters has the most obnoxious voice. It's a lispy, wheezing, Asian-sounding, high-pitched Michael Jackson voice. I had a hard time believing that anyone really talks like that. But, apart from the voice, the acting and everything else was fine.The three really great things that stand out about this film, other than the usual Argento traits (the great music and scenery, for example) are the use of space, increased violence and the switch-up of main characters. The space issue is best shown early on in a scene on a train, which I think is what this film is most known for now (with good reason). A young woman must hide from a killer on a moving train -- putting her and the camera in a confined space. This really accelerates the terror, as we feel with her that there's literally no where to run.The increased gore and violence is noticeably. In newer films (such as "Pelts" and "Jenifer") Argento really lets the gore out, but in earlier works it is more mellow and implied. Even in the really violent scenes from the 1970s, it's quick and not very disturbing. This film, with its finger-hacking and English horn choking, really creates the bridge between the 1970s Argento and the 2000s Argento.Lastly, the characters switching is a nice touch. We don't establish who the main character is until maybe twenty minutes or more into the film. Following the path of the killer's notebook, we see who finds it and how it gets from point A to point B. But the notebook is not a main focus of the film, nor are the people who carry it. Like the red carpet later on, it just serves as a guide for the camera. (There is some question of how the killer is able to move around on the train and elsewhere so quickly, but we won't worry about that here.) As with all other Argento, I bring this one to you with the highest recommendation. Great plot (actually better than much of his work), great gore, great characters and great music. His best camera work in a long time, and a higher quality filming process (Italy is usually years behind America in film quality -- this is an exception). On your next sleepless night, pick up "Sleepless". It's a winner.