|
|
|
|
|
the science fiction
fantasy horror & mystery website |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
the science fiction
fantasy horror & mystery website |
|
| home articles profiles interviews essays books movies competitions guidelines issues links archives contributors email |
|
The Machinist (2005) Director: Brad Anderson 
review by Debbie Moon Factory worker Trevor Reznik has big problems. He hasn't slept - at all - for something like a year, he's wasting away, and his only friends are sentimental prostitute Stevie and sinister workmate Ivan. When he befriends a diner waitress and her young son, things seem to be looking up - but then he causes an accident that maims another worker, and when he blames Ivan for distracting him, he's told that no one of that name or description works there... But Ivan continues to haunt him, and Trevor's attempts to work out who he is and what he wants only uncover things he'd rather not know. Is Ivan some part of himself that he's repressed, and if so, what is his dark half trying to tell him? Most of the publicity for this film went on actor Christian Bale's dramatic weight loss, and certainly, Trevor's shrunken body is a disturbingly graphic representation of his mental state. But there's a lot more to this to this intricate puzzle of a movie than that, and Bale's haunted, fragile performance is terrific, and John Sharian, as the repulsive, gloating Ivan, provides the perfect foil for his journey of self-discovery. Anderson finds menace in the simplest of everyday situations, and expertly keeps us unsure about Trevor's sanity for most of the movie. When the secret is finally revealed, it does seem almost too simple; too ordinary to have merited such trauma, but even if your intellect feels a little cheated, the ending remains emotionally satisfying. The Machinist is an atmospheric, chilling little movie that's a must for thriller fans. |
 Please support this website - buy stuff using these links: Amazon.co.uk Amazon.com Send it W.H. Smith |
| home articles profiles interviews essays books movies competitions guidelines issues links archives contributors email |