The early work of director Brad Anderson invariably became the favorite audience of the Sundance Film Festival. Therefore, in 2002, he became an honorary member of the jury. And his creation in 2004 finally secured the status of a cult for the director.
In the reviews, the film "The Engineer" is positioned as an industrial psychological thriller. Industry is the professional field of the protagonist, who is more likely a locksmith than a machinist. The hero of the tape is an obvious patient of a psychiatrist, therefore - a psychological one. Plus, a gloomy film styled as a black and white movie was played in an inexorable psychopathic rhythm, the narrative is saturated to the limit with frightening pictures and sounds that excite the imagination. The film “The Engineer” (2004) is critically acclaimed in reviews, the picture has a significantly higher rating in comparison with other examples of the genre - IMDb: 7.70.
Short storyline
In the center of the story is Trevor Reznik, who has lost peace and sleep. He has not been sleeping for almost a year. Overwork leads his body to mental and physical exhaustion. Others and colleagues, preoccupied with visible changes, are gradually moving away from Trevor, and then enter into an open conflict. The reason for the aggravation of relations is an accident at work, in which Reznik is blamed. The hero decides to investigate the mysterious incidents that turned his life into a nightmare. But the more he learns, the less he wants to know.
Compared to the classics of the genre
Most of the reviewers in the reviews of the movie “The Engineer” characterize the plot as truly interesting, containing a twisted intrigue, which is absolutely necessary for every good thriller. Movie experts tend to compare Anderson’s work with the imperishable creations of Alfred Hitchcock and the movie Mulholland Drive by David Lynch. They explain their position by the fact that in both tapes it’s impossible until the last to understand the events taking place with the main character. At the same time, the notorious suspense was elevated by the director to the proper level, the narrative is logical, without sagging and “pulling his ears”, which affects most modern thrillers with clichéd ties.
Technical Features
Brad Anderson after the catastrophically underrated crime horror "Ninth Session" decided to shoot a new project in Spain. This is not surprising, because the phrase "Spanish thriller" practically acts as a guarantor of a stylish and deep spectacle. But this is exactly what spectators call the film “The Engineer” in reviews.
Indeed, the picture looks perfect. The director seemed to be able to place the camera in the skull of the protagonist and provide the audience with the opportunity to look at the outside world through the eyes of a paranoid. Non-standard angles, trembling and blurry contours of objects, extremely low shooting angles. Cameraman Ute Brizwitz in tandem with director Brad Anderson, who took over the duties of the editor, was not bored.
According to critics, expressed in the reviews of the movie “The Engineer”, the narrative is enhanced by the chaotic editing and color scheme of the project. It seems that the bleach, with which the main character generously launders his hands and the tiles of the bathroom, got on the film. The gamut of color shades of the visualization is etched, leached and degreased, like the body of Reznik. A huge role in saturating the atmosphere is played by the musical accompaniment of the composer Climax Golden Twins. Tense, disturbing compositions sound at the right moments.
Alter Ego. Caution Spoiler
When talking about the brainchild of Anderson, often the story contains only a discussion of the extraordinary metamorphosis of leading Christian Bale. This, of course, is impressive, but the plot component of the tape deserves no less attention, filling the viewer with drop by drop darkness, not to mention thin, professional directing.
The main character, deprived of sleep after the tragedy, is forced to put up with the presence of ghosts and non-existent colleagues. And here the attention is attracted to the baldly shaven big man Ivan, grinning ominously that he works with the main character, although other workers do not know and have never heard of him. Reznik is forced to go through all the circles of hell in order to understand that his friend is just guilt and pain for the tragic accident that happened more than a year ago. The image of Ivan on the screen was embodied by John Sherian, a predominantly second-order actor who appeared in The Fifth Element, in the movie Real Love, There is No Communication and in the Engine Driver. Reviews of the film rarely contain mention of other artists involved in the creation of the project, calling the picture the benefit of Christian Bale.
Single actor film
Public opinion, attributing the main merit in the implementation of Anderson’s creative plans exclusively to Bail, has a right to exist. The impeccable work of the actor is comparable to the axis around which the narrative revolves, the spring of plot intrigue is wound. Other actors in the movie The Engineer simply did not have a chance to compete with Christian. Although John Sherian, Jennifer Jason Lee and other performers created characteristic expressive images of their characters. But Bale, a former strong-willed cleric from Equilibrium and an office maniac from American Psycho, received the main portion of viewer's attention. And his efforts in the preparation process can be considered complete dedication.
Just think, the actor lost weight to 54 kg, this is with a height of 183 cm. To convincingly depict dystrophic, he followed a severe diet for four months. He drank water, ate an apple a day, drank a cup of coffee, and sometimes spoiled himself with whiskey. In fact, on a hunger strike, Bale dropped 28 kg. He intended to continue the experiments with the weight, bringing it to 45 kg, but the doctors and anxious producers of the film stopped him. Within six months after the shooting, the actor again gains weight and muscle mass to shine in the blockbuster “Batman: The Beginning”.