PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Mary Harron’s American Psycho took the horror community by storm, slating Patrick Bateman as iconic. I had read Bret Easton Ellis a few years before the movie, and there was so much attention to detail. American Psycho had a big influence on my own horror tastes. Though I was well seasoned in the genre, I had never experienced such a disturbing visual show that American Psycho brought to me, making me very thankful that the movie was not as detailed as the novel. I can enjoy the movie, but the book crept up on me with very vivid visions of the words I was reading.
Synopsis
A wealthy New York City investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies. As Patrick falls deeper and deeper into psychosis, he becomes an unstoppable killer.
Mary Harron directed the film, which stars Christian Bale (Batman Begins, 2008) in the lead role.
The Rundown
American Psycho is top-tier entertainment. The whole movie is devoted to a spiralling illness that only certain things can cure. In Patrick’s instance, his go-to endorphin release is murder. I have to admit, these kills are so creative, not that they haven’t been done before, the team’s work behind each kill definitely showed through. I felt a sense of enjoyment from the cast, they picked the perfect person to portray the character. Christian Bale made this movie what it was when it came to acting. His over-the-top antics describe untreated mental illness very well. When Patrick descended, he went straight to hell only to come back as Wall Street wealthy.
I believe we all have moments where we find ourselves with a thought pattern like Patrick’s. Everyone has that dark side; even Mr. Rogers was an angry person and had to take control of it. No one is humble all the time. Are all the fantasies murderous? Maybe not, but I am sure they are hurtful and intrusive just the same. We really have no business holding Patrick Bateman up as heroic, but hey, I don’t judge, I feel the same way.
A Clash of Generations
What really made American Psycho iconic was how well every fiber of the film came together. I could easily say American Psycho was my generation’s A Clockwork Orange, minus the rehabilitation and victimization, but to me, that made the movie a little dull. However, I wanted to see more intense scenes, for how highly the movie is praised. I would much prefer hanging out with Patrick instead of Alex and his bumbling Droog brothers. Patrick, at least, has a great music collection.
In The End
My takeaway from American Psycho is that it hit me right in the gut with joy. I didn’t know what I was expecting the first time I saw the film, but I remember every moment and smiling from ear to ear. Patrick is almost childish in his demeanor, even with how complex he is. He is like a spoiled little bad man who gets punished by intrusive thoughts he acts on. Basically, Patrick Bateman is my angry side when I need it. I can easily turn this film on after a bad day and laugh throughout the whole thing, I am also sure I am not alone in that.
