it may keep your interest, but don't expect too much

Rating: 4/10 (3 November 2005)

Christian Bale physically transforms into a lifeless shell in the Machinist, a thriller derived from much better and more thought-provoking films. The cinematography is fine, and the story and pacing are OK, but the payoff just isn't there. The only reason to watch this movie is to see what Christian Bale did to himself. I'm surprised the director didn't tell him to stop much sooner as this looks irresponsible. I mean, when you see Tom Hanks in Cast Away he looks like he's been eating McDonald's in between takes compared to Christian Bale in Machinist. And when you see DeNiro in Raging Bull, you don't think his LIFE was at risk for being over-weight. I was actually fearing for Christian's life while watching this. Its like... if a 5 mph wind swept him away, he'd be gone for good. You'd never see him again. Irresponsible film-making at its most disturbing.