Film-making at its best

Rating: 10/10 (22 April 2011)

This is a film for those having a soft spot for mystique.
It's an absolute masterpiece, and personally I give it the highest rating of all the films I have seen in, say, last 4 years. The setting, the pace, camera work, the cast - all together create an effect of instant classic, that sticks with you for days after viewing, demanding multiple views. Yes, this film can (and should) be seen many times, and each view is a treat.
It should be said that there are quite a lot of references to the Freudian\Jungian elements in the film (as well as Tarot) and being able to read those symbols can significantly enhance viewing experience. All key characters and even scenery elements have reference to symbolism\archetypes used in psychoanalysis.
A possible tag-line for this film could sound like this: IF YOU'RE HIDING FROM YOURSELF, WHO DO YOU EXPECT TO COME SEARCHING? Simply put, the film shows what can happen if one tries to hide something from self long enough.
Trevor Reznik is a person who is haunted by something, and until the very end we are not clear, what it is exactly that haunts him, although we also see clear indications that he isn't quite aware of who he is.
As we know from psychoanalysis, the unwanted\traumatic memories are typically repressed down to our subconscious, while our consciousness can play tricks on our perception, creating visible and even palpable manifestations of the repressed facts (which constitutes so beautifully the subject matter of films such as this). The 'Ivan' character, for instance, is clearly the 'Shadow' archetype (the deeper Self that keeps the repressed memory). The carnival wheel-ride (and the huge towering building) that at one point are seen as background for the traumatic female image, are clear embodiments of the 'Tower' archetype (symbol of foreboding, looming trouble).
Music calls for a separate Academy Award because if Hitchcock's name should be mentioned here, music is the key ingredient that makes all trademark features click into one. The interplay between vibraphone/harp and cello/theremin in most significant themes are beyond any praise.
This is indeed a brilliant movie.