Memorable From Start to End

Rating: 10/10 (3 February 2015)

The Machinist (2004) has been an on top film for several years. The Machinist concentrates on the psychological aspect of Bale's character in a way that the viewer can almost experience his decline. Not many films have successfully portrayed this type of character particularly in such an entertaining way.Although the character has been described as unlikable or repulsive, I found him to be human and as such had no judgement.
The Machinist appears to moves at a medium pace and is thoroughly enjoyable. There are some obvious nods to Hitchcock's Psycho, and also to famous literature (of which I am not familiar). I did not think that these links were necessary and believe that they detract very slightly from the movie itself. Also instead of spelling out certain elements of the plot, the film could have benefited by a little ambiguity. The Machinist keeps its audience on its seat from its great pace and use of suspense. The visuals are equally as stunning and the conclusion is really well written. As a rewatch 05/13/20', very solid film and remains one of my favorite Christian Bale films and performances. Although after another watch, the twist regarding Ivan comes off as more predictable and obvious. This film was also relatively short. Perhaps had they made it 30 more minutes and gave more details, the overall reception and cult effect would have been stronger, similar to Fight Club in a way.