Calling Christian Bale a chameleon is not superlative. Chameleons can only change colors, this man can change his form! Everybody uses wigs and makeup to prepare for a role, Christian Bale has masterfully used weight transformations (loss and gain) and weird accents living roles that stay with us forever.
Bale had his first starring role at age 13 in Steven Spielberg’s war film Empire of the Sun (1987), following a decade of leading and supporting roles.
If you think acting is easy; read this – Christian dropped an amazing 63 pounds for his role as the emaciated insomniac Trevor Reznik in the film The Machinist (2004) (mind-blowing). He also gained 100 pounds before becoming Bruce Wayne and then lost 30 pounds after Christofer Nolan thought he had gained too much! This is literally too much! Take this – for The Fighter he had to don the emaciated look (junkie with serious nutrition deficiency), again living to his reputation, he dropped 30 pounds and played the role with perfection with a Boston-Irish accent!
In each role that he portrayed, he has put inexplicable efforts and has done justice to his role. In this article, we’ve decided to revisit the actor’s career and list his top 10 movies according to ratings.
3:10 to Yuma (2007)
At no. 10 we have 3:10 To Yuma which is a classic morality tale about a drought-impoverished rancher (Bale) who takes on the dangerous job of taking a notorious outlaw (Crowe) to justice.
It is a remake of the 1957 film of the same name, making it the second adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s 1953 short story “Three-Ten to Yuma”. Even though it is a remake, yet it is much more entertaining and engaging than the great original.
The Machinist (2004)
A movie that can make you experience horror and thrill at once is the statement that explains The Machinist. It is a story about a factory worker Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) who suffers from insomnia so severe that his condition has taken its toll on his weight and his mental health.
As the movie moves forward, Trevor descends further into paranoia, blaming his problems on an enigmatic figure named Ivan (John Sharian). The looks of Christian Bale in this movie are enough to scare you off making it one of the best body transformations for a movie ever.
Empire Of The Sun (1987)
At a small age of 13, Christian Bale’s very first performance was quite simply, brilliant. The movie based on J. G. Ballard’s autobiographical novel, tells the story of a boy, James Graham, whose privileged life is upturned by the Japanese invasion of Shanghai, December 8, 1941.
This story follows Jim as he attempts to reconstruct his former life amidst the sickness and food shortages in the camp, all the while bringing spirit and dignity to those around him. Though it is a war movie based on history but is very well portrayed in every aspect.
The Big Short (2015)
Starring Christian Bale, Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt, The Big Short (2016) based on the story of a financial crash wherein a group of investors bet against the US mortgage market. In their research, they discover how flawed and corrupt the market is.
With a cast as talented as this one, this movie will surely guarantee you a dramatic ride into the Wall Street market.
The Fighter (2010)
The Fighter is based on the true story of the 1990s welterweight boxer Micky Ward and his crazy ex-fighter brother Dicky, played by Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale. In this movie also, Bale has played his role exceptionally well. Even if you are not a boxing fan you will still enjoy this well-plotted movie.
Rescue Dawn (2004)
Rescue Down is an epic war dram film produced in 2006 directed by Werner Herzog. This movie is considered as the most intense movie acted by Christian Bale. Rescue Dawn is very adventurous and if you like war and adventure movies, then you have to watch this.
This movie is considered to be the best war drama film by Bale. The best part about this film is its ending. It’s ending so amazing and cool that one has to watch this movie completely else he/she shall not like it.
Batman Begins (2005)
At no.4 we have the movie that everyone loves ‘Batman Begins”. Even if you are a boy or a girl, old or young, the batman series appeals to all. And Christian Bale as the Batman is truly a treat for our eyes.
The movie doesn’t simply supply Batman’s initial stages as in the tradition of a comic book origin story but explores the tortured path that led Bruce Wayne from a parentless childhood to friendless adult existence.
The movie is not realistic, because how could it be, but it acts as if it is. The film was met with highly positive reviews, with critics praising the tone, Bale’s performance, action sequences, direction, and the emotional weight compared to previous Batman films.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the final installment in Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy, and the sequel to The Dark Knight (2008). Like the other Batman movies, this film also received positive reviews, with praise being directed toward the performances, action sequences, script, direction, musical score, and sensitive depth, with many critics deeming it a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy.
The consensus at Rotten Tomatoes calls it “ambitious, thoughtful, and potent”. The film grossed over $1 billion worldwide, making it the second film in the Batman film series to earn $1 billion.
The Prestige (2006)
If you are a fan of mystery with some pinch of drama Christopher Nolan’s, The Prestige is the film for you. The movie is about two friends who turned enemies Robert Angier and Alfred Borden when Julia, Robert’s beloved wife accidentally dies during a performance and he blames Alfred for it.
It is a masterpiece that will keep you hooked from start to end and with Hugh Jackman’s and Christian Bale’s marvelous acting. Therefore we can say that Nolan was able to do his magic trick perfectly.
The Dark Knight (2008)
The no. 1 in the list is ‘The Dark Knight’. The film is the second installment of Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy. The film starts with the portrayal of how with the help of allies Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman (Christian Bale) has been able to keep a tight lid on crime in Gotham City.
But everything changes when a vile young criminal calling himself the Joker (Heath Ledger) suddenly throws the town into chaos and the caped Crusader begins to tread a fine line between heroism and vigilantism.
This film has all the elements that a good film requires and the Oscar-winning performance by the villain played by Heath Ledger has made people recognize it as one of the best movies of all time.
The duo of Christian Bale and Heath Ledger has made us put this film in the no. 1 slot and I believe all the readers would agree with it.
Conclusion
Christian Bale’s journey has been nothing less than magical and not once he has failed to show what great actor he is and we believe that he will continue showing it.
