American Psycho (DVD)

Advantages: Amusing satire on late 80s Wall Street
Disadvantages: Lacks purpose

...be on Bateman’s case. American Psycho is based on the book of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis. On its release, the book caused huge controversy, due to its graphic descriptions of depraved acts of murder and sexual violence. Although the film is violent and bloody, much of the actual violence is depicted by implication only. We see Patrick wielding an axe above someone’s head, and then seconds later covered in blood. This movie is not, however, ...
...unpleasant murderous acts and sexual violence. One scene, early on in the movie, where Bateman murders a homeless man’s dog is particularly upsetting, but other scenes are almost comical, for example as a naked Patrick chases a prostitute down the stairs wielding a chainsaw, fuelled by his recent viewing of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre”. I struggled, at times, with the point of this movie and it left me with more questions than answers. My interpretation ... Read review

Advantages: You will either love it or you will hate it
Disadvantages: You will either love it or you will hate it!

Ok so when I first saw this film I hadn’t read the book or heard of the film before. I've decided to review the book separately as I thought they were really quite different. Bale plays the said Psycho - Patrick Bateman a man obsessed with all of the things that was bad about the 1980's. Money and status is everything. Whether it’s having a better apartment or suit than your friends, right down to who has the classiest looking business ...
...crucial to Bateman and to a lesser extent, to his peers too. That's the premise for the film. Status is everything, the sadistic way he murders his victims doesn’t really matter. Bateman works on Wall Street and is extremely frustrated that he doesn’t really stand out from anyone else in his social circle. They are all eating in the same places, going to the same clubs and snorting copious amounts of Coke. In fact, the only way he can ... Read review

Advantages: See review
Disadvantages: See review

When the novel American Psycho was published a few years ago, there was an awful lot of publicity surrounding the release of the book, condemning the writing as disturbing, and socially irresponsible. Certainly, a colleague of mine was reading the novel and described some very horrific scenes. It came as a something of a surprise to me therefore when a film version was made and released to cinema audiences. The film certainly does not contain anywhere ...
...you should be aware that American Psycho is an unsettling and often disturbing film. Christian Bale plays the lead role Patrick Bateman. Set in New York during the eighties, Bateman is shown as a typical yuppie. He lives in a plush apartment; is obsessed with his appearance; spends all his time wining and dining with colleagues and friends and essentially leads a completely materialistic life. Except Patrick Bateman is not like his colleagues - ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent insight into the human psyche
Disadvantages: Graphic at times, violent

...upon a novel written by American writer Bret Easton Ellis. It was published in 1991, and it was promptly slated and criticised for it’s graphic violence and dark undertones. But as with all things in life it also had great acclaim in certain quarters, as it depicts typical life in the extremely materialistic decade of the 1980’s. Yuppies, mobile phones, cocaine and the like. The decade where it wasn’t so much who you were as opposed ...
...day illness. ~~THE PLOT~~ The film is presented in a first person monologue format. For those of you who have seen “Fight Club” you will understand what I am referring to. No Edward Norton this time. In his place we have one Patrick Bateman (played by Christian Bale). Bateman is a typical 80’s icon. Successful, ruthless, suave and intelligent. He works in the New York Stock Exchange, drives around in a limousine, has membership ... Read review

Advantages: A nice critical stab at the greed and shallowness that was the 1980's
Disadvantages: Nowhere near as detailed and as enjoyable as the book was, and the ending was a bit unclear

I have long been a big fan of Bret Easton Ellis’s cult book of the same name. I looked forward to the release of this flick more than any other film in the last year. I was intrigued to see how they could possibly convert such a disturbing and at the same time witty novel onto the screen. Then, as usual with most major adaptations, the rumour mill started up to speculate who would take the lead role of Patrick Bateman, the egotistical Jeckyl ...
...it looked likely that the lady boy would get it but thankfully they came to their senses and plumped for a far more convincing actor in Christian Bale. With the highly respected Mary Harron in the director’s chair it looked promising to actually get a reasonably close transfer onto the screen. So I sat back and waited. •The Film Patrick Bateman seems like your run-of-the-mill 80’s New York yuppie. He has it all, a high paying ... Read review

Advantages: Quite liked the ending
Disadvantages: Implausible

...abilities to fulfil the role, she soon comes across obstacles. The college secretary advises her that she will not process the application because Kate is a freshman – and worse still, there are three other applicants who stand a very good chance of beating her to it. The only other female applicant happens to be having an affair with the professor; one of the other male applicants is the son of an influential millionaire; and the other applicant is just a smart arse. Kate then proceeds to take the necessary steps to fulfil her ambition – and very soon, all the obstacles will be removed from her path. “Beating the competition” just took on a whole new guise….. American Psycho (the original) was a good movie. Without being particularly graphic, it still had an inherent capability to make the viewer nervous. Such... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Something to watch (and pick holes in) when you're bored
Disadvantages: Horror/comedy doesn't work, no depth to the plot, predictable, unbelievable

...As a 12 yr old child, Rachel Newman witnesses the murder of Patrick Bateman's last victim. She then murders him, ending his reign as the 'American Psycho'. She isn't implicated to or connected in any way with the murder, and on surface value it doesn't appear to affect her life other than by giving her an interest in serial killers and a desire to join the FBI to catch other serial killers such as Bateman. [Forward a few years] As a young lady, Rachel knows exactly what she wants, and how she intends to achieve it. She has a plan, clearly drawn up in her head and so enrols at college on a criminal profiling course - her main aim there is to become her professor's teaching assistant as that stands her in with a very good chance of getting a place in the FBI... Oh dear!!! How can a sequel go so wrong? The film starts off well... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Fit chick in the lead roll
Disadvantages: Not a sequel to American Psycho

...According to Scream 2, a sequel (to a great movie) that lacked almost all of the things that made its predecessor great, "Sequels Suck". The film makes a lot of fun of itself, not least when the lovable Randy points out The Rules. There are three Rules to making a successful sequel. The body count must always be higher. The death scenes are always more elaborate. And never assume the killer is dead. American Psycho 2 follows these rules to the letter. Following in great Hollywood tradition, American Psycho 2 is not as good as its predecessor. American Psycho was a superb movie - a great tale based on a brilliant book, and one of the few movies I don't think anyone should be without a copy of in their video collection. It is obvious that the sequel has been made exclusively to make money of the back of American Psycho's success... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful