A brilliantly misunderstood film...

Rating: 10/10 (13 January 2006)

If I were to tell anyone anything about the film, American Psycho, it would simply be "do not take this film at face value". This is an homage to a time in history. However recent the 80s may have been, they are still a definitive time period, very unlike today. This film takes great lengths to explore the decadence and opulence of the boom in culture that occurred in the 1980s. The movie focuses its story on one man, Patrick Bateman, and his existence in this neon lit, over saturated, pop music world. We are given little as to how Bateman became who he is, but we do enter his life at a time which could only best be described as his "breaking point". How this breakdown occurs and really what it results in is very open to debate as you will find, but I urge you to view this film and interpret, do not simply watch. It is a truly original and intelligent piece of work and the horror the film produces is equaled if not topped by both its wit and satire. Christian Bale is brilliant as is the supporting cast. The only negative that has resulted from this film is a very bad sequel that seems to have clearly missed the point of the first film.