Finally another great film in this p***-poor movie decade.

Rating: Null/10 (27 March 2007)

First thing's first: I think Christian Bale is insane. To risk one's health  and life - for a mere movie is something I don't understand at all  even if it's a great movie such as this. Perhaps he is "The Masochinist". It is absolutely amazing to see how much weight he'd lost for this role; I guess he must have lost around half of the initial weight. And like a true "method" actor he must have hung out with fashion models to learn the tricks of the trade. It is also quite possible the director went through several actors before finally finding one who was willing to do this to himself. Fortunately he ended up with Bale, because I have to say that he has never been this good. I also have to mention here how key it was for the director to cast the right person for the role of Bale's conscience. (I wouldn't be surprised if he worked as a Brando impersonator.)
The movie is one of the very best  made in this decade  that I've seen. The theme of reality has been explored quite well in a half dozen films that came out around the turn of the millennium, and this is another great addition. The photography is superb (creating a unique look, so essential to a movie of this nature), the soundtrack is refreshingly traditional, i.e. reminding of 50s/60s thrillers, the entire cast is good, the premise is original, the dialogue convincing, and the conclusion is not a let-down. I loved the way Anderson decided to have all the dialogue put through a special effect, giving the entire movie an even stranger, unique feel than it already would have had.
Essential viewing, needless to say.