Imbi

What is it with Christian Bale? I don't get it.

I see a lot of love going out for Bale, and I don't see why. He is horrible and ruins every movie he is in. Let me go down the list here.

American Psyco - 3/10 - A great book, but a poor adaptation and a horrible lead. Christian bale was stiff through the entire thing, on top of that he always looks like he has to take an enormous ****.

Equilibrium - 0/10 - I got through about 20 minutes of this movie. Maybe it's the whole plot that sucks, but still GOOD actors should be able to make a ****ty script bearable.

The Machinist - 4/10 - He lost a lot of weight for the movie, so much weight it was considered dangerous, i'll give him that, but losing weight and gaining it for movies does NOT make you a good actor. This story could have been great, even better then Fight Club. But Bale had to go and ruin it.

Batman Begins - 4/10 - To think i was actually giving Bale the benefit of the doubt, and held high hopes for BB. With my friends giving it a decent review, and other critics giving it GREAT reviews i thought this one was in the bag. But nooooo! Bale Bale Bale, the guy just can't act. He was by far the worst Batman to ever grace the screen. And again, the story was great, the orgin of batman would be awesome if it wasn't centered around Bale. God this guy sucks ass.

That's all i've seen with Bale in it, and i don't think he's going to improve any time soon either.

Kain_C

Well, that's your opinion, one that isn't greatly shared. I think it's quite the opposite; he's a tremendous actor that loses himself completely in a role, and it's his presence and acting prowess that adds to any film. Like Robert Deniro, Ed Norton, Morgan Freeman, etc., the man simply becomes whomever he is playing, and you never think for a second he is anybody BUT the character he is playing.


Not the best adaptation, but Bale was damn scary in it. He was supposed to be stiff; he was kind of a cauldron of anger that erupted occasionally and lives were taken as a result. Would you prefer he act like Pauly Shore and bounce around with limitless energy? Should he have been a happy serial killer?


Was does acting have to do at all with the quality of a script? That right there makes me question your criticism. As far as the movie, I loved it. It isn't the most original plot, but the acting, style, and pure fun factor of the film more than makes up for it. Bale is believable as a badass, and it looks like he really prepped for the role.


I guess you thought DeNiro was terrible in Raging Bull?

Again, you're making these incorrect connections. His physicality and acting strength have nothing to do with each other. They actually work off and with each other, only adding to the quality of immersion into a character by Bale. Bale, as usual, was totally believable in the role, and you could nearly feel his torment and inner struggle. The man knows how to emote.


So far, you've said that Bale looks like he needs to take a **** and that he "sucks ***", or you've repeated how badly an actor he is without really providing an argument. Not very worthy criticisms if you ask me. I'm all for opinion (even though I may not seem like to sometimes : ) ), but this looks more like a deliberate attempt to flame since, as you even acknowledge it, people on this forum seem to give him "a lot of love".

Bale is simply the best Batman so far. His combination of physical strength and presence bring a necessary "realism" to the character of Batman. He's also a much more believable Wayne which is a testament to his skills as a top notch actor.



Improve? The man improves with every performance he gives, if that's possible. And I'm perfectly straight, but the guy is damn handsome to boot. He's got the looks, the acting experience, the physical strength, screen presence, and he's a damn fine actor. Plus he likes to physically change to accommodate his roles, which greatly adds to his versatility as one of the best actors, and leading men, of our time.

AlexCremers

Maybe Imbi means "Bale isn't likeable". I think I would understand that. Bale plays a lot of unlikeable characters: American psycho, Empire of the Sun, The Machinist, Batman Begins. None of them are meant to be sympathetic but he's utterly amazing in all of them!


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Alex Cremers

Magnus T

This has got to be the stupidest thread I've ever read. Bale is a GREAT actor. When he get's his first Oscar is only a matter of time and the right movie. While watching Bale act in a movie you (okay, everyone but you Imbi) immidiately notice that Bale is willing to go where other actors won't. I would like to see Bale in more drama's though. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen Bale in a drama.

David Rogers

Don't see why you'd start a thread with "He's horrible and ruins every movie he is in"

With an opening like that, you're not trying to start a discussion, you seem to merely want people to enter the thread to agree with you.

Perhaps you meant something like this:

"Christian Bale receives quite a few kudos and thumbs ups from film fans and critics. I'm at a loss to understand why. Personally, I don't usually favor his performances. I don't see what I'm not seeing in this actor that so many others clearly have. What is it about Bale that enraptures you? What is it about Bale that draws you into his performances?"

You might get better responses than with your actual post.
Assuming you don't just want people agreeing with your stated opinion, that is.

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Dave's World
-No matter where you go, there you are-

Michael Reuben

You can always try Empire of the Sun, though it's hardly representative.

For dramas featuring Bale in an adult role, I recommend Laurel Canyon and Metroland.

M.

"Most people never have to face the fact that, at the right time and the right place, they're capable of anything." -- Chinatown

"What kind of movies would there be if everyone in them had to do what we thought they should do?" -- Roger Ebert

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Mikel_Cooperman

Starting with Empire of the Sun and in movies like Metroland and even Batman Begins, I've always thought Bale has a lot of range.
What's your idea of a good actor imbi?

Tino

The real question is does anyone think Imbi will change his mind about Christian Bale no matter what his fans say?

The tone of his first post leads me to believe that he (or she) won't.

Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus.

Imbi

I'm sorry, you are right. I apologize. I'm interested in what you guys think, i would just like to know what i'm missing in his performances. He just comes across very superficial and wooden every time i see him on screen, perhaps i've just seen the wrong movies with him. He is very much like Keanu Reeves in that regard, but i don't see anyone praising him.

Brent Hutto

We watched a little bit of the Branaugh/Thompson "Much Ado About Nothing" last night before getting bored and switching to something else. Talk about a stiff, Keanu was totally blank-faced and he MUMBLED every line. If Christian Bale were that bad I doubt he'd be getting the sort of kudos that you were questioning in the first place. Sheesh.

RE: Empire of the Sun. It's been years since I saw it in the theater but he turned in a prodigous child performance in that one. I've had it on the DVD shelf for a year and can't seem to make myself watch it (I do not believe it is a good movie, typical Spielburgian manipulative stuff) even though it has a few amazingly photograph scenes and the aforementioned Bale performance.

RE: Laurel Canyon. I liked the movie although it dragged a little bit toward the last third. Bale was deliberately underplaying his rather unformed pretty-boy character but his work was certainly appropriate to the demands of the role. McDormand was her usual riveting self. I'm tempted to say I'll watch anything with the utterly delectable Kate Beckinsale in it but that would be a lie. I couldn't bring myself to watch Pearl Harbor and then last night we quit on Much Ado, as well.

AlexCremers

Yeah, but 'Empire of the Sun' = good manipulative, 'Braveheart' = bad manipulative