It's 'Fight Club' meets 'Memento' in this daring episode of paranoia that will keep you thinking throughout

Rating: 9/10 (20 December 2006)

The Machinist, aka El Maquinista, is a brilliantly made film by Brad Anderson. Starring Christian Bale (The Prestige, Batman Begins) in a stunning and powerful performance, The Machinist is a real workout for your brain that will leave you feeling drained by the time the conclusion rolls around.
Trevor Reznik (Bale) is not your every day man. For starters, he is emaciated beyond belief, weighing in at about 120 pounds. There's also the fact that he hasn't slept in a year. Insomnia to the fullest. After a horrible exchange with a co-worker (Michael Ironside), we see him begin to doubt everything from the loyalties of his friends to his own existence.
The stand outs of the film are Christian Bale and Brad Anderson, the star and director. Anderson gives us a film that is dark, gritty, and extremely real. Anderson's direction is very similar to that of Alfred Hitchcock, and that's never a bad thing. It is also extremely intense, and the viewers who get lost in plots easily or can't take a lot of intense material may want to use caution or stay away from this movie. Christian Bale proves just how talented and dedicated an actor he is in this film by transforming his normally huge and muscular frame (see Batman Begins or Reign of Fire to understand it) into the beyond skinny man that is Trevor Reznik. Imagine Christian Bale at 120 pounds. Bale's performance is perfect as well, as he really knows how to get his feelings across without speaking, an ability that is crucial for this role. It is one of Bale's most prolific performances, by far. The Machinist contains many twists like the 2000 hit 'Memento', and has an ending that is as unexpected and impactful as 'Fight Club'. It is an excellent exercise in psychological horror that will keep you guessing during the entire movie. Another plus is that it is not that long (just over 100 minutes), so you stay interested the whole time. Due to brief graphic violence, language, some nudity, and extremely difficult plot details, I recommend 'The Machinist' to anyone over age 16. It really is a diamond in the rough that you can't afford to miss.
9/10 --spy