The Machinist

A picture that can be summed up as “Bale, but nothing else". Christian Bale absolutely excels, not only in physical preparations for the part, but mainly in his performance of a worker suffering from long-term insomnia, and strange things start happening to him. The problem is that this movie seems much better than it really is, and the screenplay is completely predictable. The only reason why it is at all watchable is the expectation that the outcome won’t be what it looks like it is going to be from the very first minutes. The movie quite often promises very clearly that “this is going to be really something, just wait and you’ll see". In the end it all seems to trail off into nothing and you are left feeling that somebody wasted the huge potential. Overall, this is definitely an example of quality filmmaking that is saved by the Bale and he is rightly praised highly by many for his performance. I’m rather intrigued to see just how bad this would have turned out with a different actor. (13/04/2005)

An excellently gloomy atmosphere and you will be astounded by Christian Bale, skinny to the bone putting doubts in the minds of those wanting to maintain their “slim figure". Reznik is an amazing character and the punchline of his story will simply get you. And yes, even if you saw Fight Club, The Machinist still has a lot to offer. A very strong four star rating. (13/02/2008)

A very powerful and depressing film that relies mainly on Christian Bale's acting and looks. The director dictates the pace brilliantly and with the gloomy atmosphere he manages to keep the viewer in the highest tension and alertness for an hour and a half. The screenplay doesn't fool around, either, it's purposeful all the way through and the ending, even though it may be guessed ahead of time, is an excellent and exciting conclusion to this outstanding and original thriller. (13/07/2011)

Unfortunately, in terms of pace, the film is very poor. The editing was also not up to par, and by the end you are left very confused. Even with full attention, it is simply impossible to grasp the whole plot with all its details, and the resulting shock is more chaos than anything else. Just because Christian Bale weighs twenty kilograms doesn't mean he automatically gives a fantastic performance. It is commendable and somewhat crazy that he was willing to undergo such a transformation for this role, but his acting remains average and in no way close to Batman or Equilibrium. The Machinist boasts an excellent depressive atmosphere (great filters and toning) and solid minimalist music, but I felt that there was a lack of originality. (25/08/2006)

The viewer's slight and, over time, steadily increasing suspicion diminishes the resulting effect of the final revelation. The Machinist, therefore, is strong not in the incisive Shyamalan-like twist (which I found satisfying, it was very fitting in the context for the story), but in the brilliant depiction of the mental suffering of a man, sparked by severe insomnia and the violent repression of guilt within himself. On top of that, the gloomy atmosphere was delicious. Anderson could not have found a better actor than Bale, in whose face all the shades of mental anguish and fatigue are perfectly visible, and whose Stanislavskian method, supported by the consumption of just one apple a day, leads to something that, in scenes where Bale's character is half undressed, makes the viewer feel physically sick. Apples were soon replaced by mounds of doughnuts (the model diet of any proper Batman) and it makes me want to say that Bale is not the devil, KevSpo. Even he wouldn't take such a gamble with his health :) (22/10/2005)