It’s hard to believe, but even thoughAmerican Psychowas one of thegreatest psychological horror moviesof the past quarter century, its critical reception doesn’t reflect this. With a career-defining performance from Christian Bale as the serial killer yuppie Patrick Bateman, this adaptation of the infamous novel by Bret Easton Ellis was truly one of the most unique movies of the early 2000s. From the way it dismantled the all-consuming nature of consumer culture to its grim representation of grisly murders,American Psychowas a cult classic that reflected the darkest aspects of society back onto itself.
Despite being one ofBale’s very best movies,American Psychoonly has a 68% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, although audiences have been much kinder to the movie with an impressive 85%. As the story of a self-obsessed New York investment banker who leads a secret double life as a serial killer, director Mary Harron managed to turn a novel that was previously thought of as unfilmable into one of the most effective satires Hollywood has ever seen. While somecritics dismissedAmerican Psychoat the time, it’s remembered today as a modern classic.
Why American Psycho’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is So Low
The Excessive Violence Of American Psycho Was Too Much For Some Critics
Both the novel and film ofAmerican Psychowere incredibly controversial upon release, as they embraced over-the-top violence and did not shy away from dark topics of murder, misogyny, and moral decay. While nobody could deny the power ofChristian Bale’s chilling performance as Bateman, some critics took the materialism, narcissism, and greed at the heart of its story the wrong way and failed to seeAmerican Psychofor the thought-provoking satire that it was.
Truly polarizing films will always have lower critics' scores on Rotten Tomatoes because their divisive nature will mean those who dislike the movie will be extra harsh in their critique. As a film that was never meant to be a crowd-pleaser, the twisted sensibilities of Easton’s original characters, Harron’s direction, and Bale’s performance meant it was easy to misunderstand the film. However, in the years since its release,American Psycho’sreputation has only grown, and its absurdist critique of consumerism, toxic masculinity, and identity has come to be appreciated for what it is.
American Psycho Is So Much Better Than Its Rotten Tomatoes Score Suggests
Christian Bale Delivered One Of His Greatest Performances As Bateman
The biggest contributor toAmerican Psycho’slackluster Rotten Tomatoes score was that critics mistook its exaggerated tone as a glorification of violence rather than a critique of it. As a surreal glimpse into the soulless world of corporate greed, Bale represented a man who was totally bereft of his humanity and the only things he could take joy from were consumerism and acts of violence. As an uncomfortable character study that refused to spoon-feed audiences its meaning,American Psychochallenges viewers to confront the evil inherent in the capitalist systemand examine how it strips us of our empathy.
The success ofAmerican Psycholed to a universally panned direct-to-video sequel calledAmerican Psycho 2, starring Mila Kunis and William Shatner, that had very little relation to the original film. It’s also been revealed that directorLuca Guadagnino is connected to a new adaptation of Ellis’s novelthat is currently in the works.
American Psychowas a smart thriller that was far more impactful than its score implies. With a strong script, great performances, and a message that’s only become more relevant in the years since its release, viewers who haven’t yet seen it should do themselves a favor and check out this incredible cult classic from the early 2000s. Perhaps critics at the time just weren’t prepared to accept just how well Bale’s terrifying performance represented the soulless nature of modern corporate America and how disturbingly close it got to the truth behind the aspirational veneer of wealth, status, and power.
