Dark, subversive and hilarious

Rating: 9/10 (10 July 2001)

I really enjoyed this film although I missed it at the cinema and haven't read the book (the latter comes highly recommended from other sources).
The film is actually a black comedy and satire on 80s morality (complete with cheesy 80s soundtrack, clothing and other references), following a mid twenties stockbroker and his double life of torture and murder.
In actual fact, despite it's rating there's relatively little in the way of gore, and the film doesn't use unnecessary gratuity. Instead it carefully builds a very controlled sense of panic, as Bateman (the protagonist) struggles with the schism between his daytime persona and nightime behaviour. This means when the film does change gears it's a genuine shock. Top marks for direction.
Like Fight Club, it's an interesting study of violent desires (from a very different angle, although there's still the identity, branding and schitzoid themes), and like Fight Club the people who will enjoy and understand it most will probably be driven away by it's "Slasher" title.