IN AN ERA where 'feel good' films seem to be the only stuff getting any attention (maybe because the state of global politics is forcing us all into deep states of denial), it should be no surprise that this spell-binding odyssey of psychological terror slipped by with little fanfare. Dark, thoughtful, disturbing and beautifully shot, this movie and particularly Christian Bale's performance takes you down an alley, beats the hell out of you, and makes you want to come back for more.
SYNOPSIS:
Christian Bale plays Trevor Reznik, he has not slept for a year and he is ravaged by exhaustion, his body is little more than bones and his weary mind is playing tricks on him. After a serious accident where his neglect sees a co-worker lose an arm, he becomes haunted by his guilt and he begins to find cryptic notes on his refrigerator, saying 'who are you? , while he is stalked by man, wherever he goes. Reznik's only solace is in the company he shares with a well-meaning lovely waitress at the airport diner and a hooker with whom he tries to express his thoughts and odd happenings.
REVIEW:
The set up is perfect. It's adorable how the movie constantly establishes new plot points without ever getting tedious. Director Brad Anderson creates tension and unease at places you wouldn't think it was possible. As the story goes on it has more than enough surprises in it and you never fully understand what is happening to the main character. You know that it can't be some sort of large scale conspiracy plot against the main character, as the main character himself thinks. It's too complex and too many unusual things are going on for that. But what exactly is going on and why, remains largely a surprise till the end. The beautiful thing, however, is that there's an explanation to the surprise ending twist that really adds a lot to the concept. To me the biggest achievement of the movie in retrospective is that it's never creepy just for the sake of freaking the audience out. Every scene has its purpose and that is not often the case in horror and mystery movies.
One thing that does stand out is how reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock this film plays. Almost everything about the film screams Hitchcock, from the editing of certain scenes to the Bernard Herrmann-esquire score, the lack of fully-exploring/revealing some of the creepier points of the film, and the washed out photography which is extremely desaturated--almost approaching black and white at times. If you want to see what a film would look like if Hitchcock were alive to film it today, this is the closest thing you could probably come across. And if that was part of Brad Anderson's intention in directing this, I have to commend him on the execution because it is uncanny.
The stand outs of the film are Christian Bale and Brad Anderson, the star and director.Brad Anderson creates and sustains a very creepy and dark aura throughout the film; filling it with haunting imagery and clever camera work. Christian Bale really steals the show. Having seen him in his previous films it's hard to be prepared for what he looks like here. For this film he has turned himself into a walking skeleton, a run-down shadow of a man. He not only physically inhabits Reznik with his skeletal appearance; he also mentally nurtures all the nuances of fear, pain, pleasure and madness. The entire cast is superb but special kudos goes to Jennifer Jason Leigh who finally has a role that allows her to demonstrate the spectrum of skill she possesses as an actress.
There are very few times when I will look over my shoulder before leaving a dark room, or check the back seat of my car before starting on a trip. In other words I rarely get creeped. But to get genuinely spooked from a film is a rare event these days. So, when it happens one must cherish the moment. And that's what 'The Machinist' has done to me...spooked me to the core! Every second of the film kept me glued to the screen, and I found myself dreading the haunting ending more than Trevor Reznik. I wish I could say more about this gem, but I want everyone to see this beautiful masterpiece for themselves. It will haunt you for a long time !
Title : The Machinist
Director ; Brad Anderson
Rated R for violence and disturbing images, sexuality and language.
Country: Spain
Language : EnglishDVD Features : Commentary with Director Brad Anderson
Deleted Scenes
Making of featurette
Trailer Link :
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0fuHY4U1UA
Torrent File Name :
