Project-Blu ‘The Machinist’ (El Maquinista) Review, by Nate Boss

The Machinist (El Maquinista)

By: Nate Boss, 5.10.2008

The Movie Itself:
Editor’s Note: The movie portion of this review has been recycled from the review of the German import Blu-ray.

Just as the horror genre has turned into the unnecessary blood and gore shock genre, the idea of “suspense” in movies has become a relic of another age. Suspense films turned into the “wild as fuck plot twist” genre, or the “this is supposed to be deep and meaningful but is really just regurgitation of a better movie” genre. Sometimes a new face can compound an issue (M. Night Shyamalan), or can be a breath of fresh air (Brad Anderson). It’s funny, really, that the most suspenseful film in years, even though it stars American actors, is actually a Spanish film made in Barcelona, and was never even screened on 100 screens across all of America at the same time.

Christian Bale plays Trevor Reznik, an anorexic insomniac machine worker whose only real friend is a hooker (Jennifer Jason Leigh) whose services he frequents. He’s having interactions with a new coworker named Ivan (John Sharian), but no one else seems to notice him. After an accident at work caused by Trevor seeing Ivan costs a coworker (Michael Ironside) an arm, Trevor’s descent into his hallucinations (which are obvious to everyone but him) grows worse, he becomes despised and feared by coworkers, and it becomes clear that something from his past is haunting him, and is possibly the reason behind his disorders. Will Trevor figure out his internal jigsaw puzzle before he costs someone their life, or is he already too late?   

The Machinist is possibly most famous due to Bale, both by his haunting performance and his startling physical transformation to play the role. Bale famously lost 60 pounds to play Reznik, and the anecdote is that he wanted to drop 20 more. His frame is amazingly small, and the early “ribcage dance” is one of the grossest moments in film, especially disturbing due to it being authentic, not some special effect. Bale’s commitment to his roles with actions like these are part of what made him a superstar, and it’s amazing he was able to gain it all back (plus 40 extra) for Batman Begins, only to drop down again for his role in Rescue Dawn, and bulk back up for Dark Knight.   

The Machinist has an original feel to it, but it’s influences are numerous, intentional or otherwise. Dostoevsky’s “The Idiot” has a lingering shot, ironic in that Reznik is delusional, and his actions in the film could be described as idiotic. Marie’s (Aitana Sanchez-Gijon) child is epileptic in the film, just as Prince Lyov Nikolayevich Myshkin is in the book, a straight forward allusion. The Machinist also draws freely from the themes in Chuck Palahniuk’s “Fight Club,” with the insomniac main character who hallucinates interactions with others due to his condition.   

Scott Kosar’s script is an unsung star in this film. The Machinist has an amazingly high replay value, and that is not fully due to the great performances it contains. The movie makes more sense with each additional viewing, and there are countless amounts of dialog that reveal hints or allusions to the mystery that would not be caught until you have seen it at least once. The fact that these hints do not detract from the film, or form a distraction (ie, make one say “what’s that supposed to mean?”) is a testament to Kosar.

The fairest warning I can give about this film is that it is definitely not for everyone. The themes and tone are tough, and the subject matter is very dark and disturbing. The film could be construed as confusing, but it definitely doesn’t get anywhere near the levels of intricacy as Memento and Pulp Fiction do. Regardless, this film requires your attention, and if you cannot pay close attention for almost 2 hours straight, you may as well pick up a blood splatter popcorn movie instead.
Rating: 9/10

The Presentation:
The Machinist was released on HD DVD before Germany put out the Blu-ray, and those who were wise enough to pay the hefty price got one hell of a treat, with an amazing package in the audio/video departments (in addition to getting a great movie). The German Blu-ray sports the same video qualities as the Japanese HD DVD, and this American release of the Blu-ray is, like the other HD releases, a solid, flat out awesome transfer, this time encoded in an AVC MPEG-4 codec rather than a VC-1.  

The picture is absolutely sharp, and amazingly detailed. There is a very light grain that is very non-intrusive. The picture is so good, that the Volkswagen accident CGI sticks out like a sore thumb. The colors for The Machinist are very dull, but that is an aesthetic choice, and what color there is looks fantastic. Blacks levels are fantastically deep.

There were a few minor imperfections that prevent this from being a demo title, but it’s still worthy of showing off. There are occasionally specks of dirt on the source, and from time to time, backgrounds can be fairly soft. I saw one moment of aliasing, as well. These blemishes do not detract from all the positives in the picture (and aren’t bad enough to detract from the score), so don’t be scared away by their mention.

The audio for The Machinist is tip-top as well. While the German import sported a DTS HD Master Audio mix, the Dolby TrueHD track found on the domestic version is equally as impressive, sharing the same strengths on this great Blu-ray.

Discrete sounds are crystal clear, and discernible through each speaker frequently. The sound design in the workshop scenes are absolutely brilliant. Dialog is sharp and clear, the score is fantastic, and movement effects are great as well. both highs and lows are crisp, and there is a perfect balance in the design of this track, so no sound gets blown out by another. This track isn’t as impressive as a title like Iron Man or The Incredible Hulk were, but for a non-special effects dependent film, it sounds absolutely fantastic.
Rating: 10/10 (9/10 video, 10/10 audio)

The Extras:
Audio Commentary  
With director Brad Anderson. Anderson does a good job providing solo coverage, hitting on all aspects, from the filming in Spain, to the lighting, the controversial (and stunning) weight loss of Bale, and some great comments about the sets and cast, and insights into the story and it’s editing. A solid one man track if ever there was one.

Manifesting The Machinist (HD, 23 min) 
A solid making of feature, from the writing of Scott Kosar, to the politics to get the film made, interesting tidbits on the filming concerning the international crew and the real life sets, and the conviction Bale showed to fit the character.  

The Machinist: Hiding in Plain Sight (HD, 14 min) 
A look at the hidden meanings in the film. This feature looks at the post-it notes, the double entendres, Trevor’s OCDs, the times in the film, and the theme ride. This feature will fill in every blank if you didn’t get the film and it’s many hidden hints and clues.   

The Machinist: Breaking the Rules (SD, 25 min)
This feature doesn’t have any true purpose, it’s fairly random, and can most easily be described as a “behind the scenes” look at the film. Actors describe their interpretations of their characters and the film itself, and Anderson describes a few choices for why certain actors got some roles.

Deleted Scenes (SD, 12 min) 
Includes optional commentary on 2 scenes. 8 total scenes are shown here, many of which kill the tension of the film, especially the grave scene. These scenes are for hardcore fans only, as they show he the film could have been a much different, flawed film than it is in the final cut.  

Theatrical Trailer (SD)
The theatrical trailer for the film
Rating: 5/10

Overall:
The Machinist is a fantastic film that countless people have missed out on due to the incredibly limited domestic release, but those in the dark still should give it a try. Anderson’s directing is tip top. His direction in The Machinist led Mick Garris, creator of the Masters of Horror series to give Anderson an episode in the second seaon, entitled Sounds Like. If you are a fan of The Machinist, Sounds Like is a must view title, as it shares the slow and lingering tone. This title isn’t exactly demo material, compared to some recent titles, but it’s absolutely the best this title will ever look and sound. Stop stalling, do yourself a favor, and get this title. If you held off on grabbing the German import Blu-ray or the Japanese HD DVD
Rating: 8/10