The Machinist, a masterpiece of psychological horror

Brad Anderson has created a truly modern masterpiece of haunting with The Machinist.

Christian Bale gives possibly his most committed performance to date as Trevor Reznik, a man who disappears before our eyes in body and mind.

Shot on an incredibly tight budget with a stripped-down aesthetic by cinematographer Dan Lausten, it is a harrowing and intimate character study.

Kronos Quartet's haunting score keeps the viewer on edge from the start.

As Reznik's insomnia accelerates with each sleepless night, he pulls you down the rabbit hole.

Jennifer Jason Leigh and Aitana Sánchez-Gijón are the film's mainstays, perfectly counterbalancing Bale's nerves.

The heartbreaking climax offers an ambiguity with few answers but many questions for the soul.

Bale dropped a staggering 63 pounds to fully inhabit Reznik's consumed body, delivering perhaps the most committed performance ever filmed.

The Machinist is a masterpiece of psychological horror that will mark you forever. A film that will get under your skin.