Dark and gritty - a great film!

Rating: 8/10 (31 July 2005)

In the middle of the mass of blockbusters, dumbed down horror movies and samey Indie dramas; it's nice to see that some filmmakers still feel the need to push the bar and deliver something different. The Machinist is a deeply dark and disturbing movie that sees Christian Bale as a worker in an industrial factory. If he were any skinnier, he wouldn't exist and he hasn't slept in a year; but still he manages to carry on his mundane existence. Things aren't quite rosy in his life either; strange things are happening to him without explanation and it isn't long before our protagonist doubts his own sanity. Christian Bale lost an amazing 63 pounds for this movie, and while it might have been a struggle for the actor; it certainly wasn't in vain! Bale's stick-like, ill appearance adds immensely to the film and if director Brad Anderson hadn't got himself such a dedicated performer in Christian Bale, The Machinist wouldn't have been half the film it is. Bale has impressed on numerous occasions, and it's about time he got praise he deserves.
Christian Bale's main co-star is most definitely the atmosphere. Brad Anderson is keen to get down and dirty with this movie, and he's given it a truly downbeat, gritty style. This is absolutely great to look at, especially for fans of macabre movies. The claustrophobic camera angles add to this atmosphere and help to enforce the idea that the machinist is living in his own surreal environment. The plot works more from a premise than an actual story; but this is good as it allows the director to put the focus of the story squarely on the protagonist, and his decent into insanity provides an ample base for an intriguing movie. The Machinist is a very encouraging film, as it shows that there is still room for dark, macabre films in modern cinema. Brad Anderson's earlier feature 'Session 9' shows that the man has a real flair for atmosphere, and it will be interesting to see how his remake of George Romero's less than brilliant 'The Crazies' turns out. On the whole, this film is excellent. The atmosphere is beautifully done, the acting is superb and the film manages to keep your interest throughout. What more could you ask for?