Has Christian Bale Lost Steam?

[cerealkiller182]

he did a fine job in 3:10 to yuma as well. he might have lost some people with his rant but he is still a good actor.

But his role is super stoic even more so next to Crowe overly-theatrical character. Its not about him doing a good job, cause he did exactly what the role called for IMO in 3:10 to Yuma, but the role is very similar to Batman and John Connor and the situation is a little similar to The Prestige with Jackman in the Crowe kinda role. So I dont think hes literally losing steam, but I can see how one could think he is.

 

[Catman]

Nicholson stole every scene from Keaton in 1989, why would this be any different?

Except he didn't. People tend to exaggerate when they say that. Keaton was as memorable as Nicholson. Who can forget Keaton saying, "I'm Batman." It's one of the classic scenes in the genre. Plus, Burton and his screenwriters made sure that Batman always stole back the spotlight. Like, for example, the scene in the museum. Yeah, Nicholson had his moments dancing to Prince and destroying paintings, but arguably the most memorable part of that scene was Batman crashing through to the window to save Vicki Vale.

 

[Gracen1]

Now that's just silly. Bale is without a doubt as physically close to what an actor playing Batman should look like as possible. Michael Keaton is only better because he wasn't sleepwalking through his movies.

I agree that keaton was a better bruce wayne. bale's wayne is too flat. it wasn't the fact that ledger outshined bale, but most people on the tdk boards last year thought oldman's performance was the second best of the movie. if bale will ever be an A-list actor, he can't give the third best performance of a movie as big as the tdk. hell, i even read more praise about eckhart's performance. for the excuse, "well, he choses those roles". then maybe he should know what he's getting into before signing on or he should bring his A game. the last few films though, he's mailed it in.

 

[bullets]

I don't think we need to see bruce wayne more peppy . I like bale's version better

 

[Cain]

At this point, I feel his only truly great performances have been EMPIRE OF THE SUN and AMERICAN PSYCHO. The rest have been good to very good. He was pretty good in THE PRESTIGE and HARSH TIMES, but frankly, you always know what you're going to get from Bale: Bale with some kind of accent. It has been this way since his career began, be it VELVET GOLDMINE, or any other early film. And it's unfortunate that studios keep marketing him and presenting him that way. He doesn't lack charisma, he lacks range. I don't think he ever phones it in, I think he's just set on his style of performance. I'd very much like to see him with a dye job, some contacts, some more facial hair, etc, stepping outside his measured style.

Nail hit directly on the head, the sad thing about is though and this is where I disagree with you, I know dude has range. He’s done everything from musicals to Shakespeare so you know he’s got a good comedy in him somewhere. He’s a far more balanced actor than people want to credit him for but I could never be as hyper defensive as some people on here are about him either. The problem is and I said this before as all my friends are just general viewers and not movie buffs, that his choices in mainstream roles as of late hasn’t helped his cause.

Everybody is now pigeonholing him as “the intense and humorless guy” like I said people I know find him “boring” cause the same people that watch 3:10 to Yuma and TDK are not the same people who watch Harsh Times and Rescue Dawn. He needs to realize this and vary it a bit cause I’m telling you Melvin Purvis is just going to amplify this perception when that movie hits theatres.

He clearly wants to make the big paycheck movies so he could risk it with the movies that mean more to him. Nothing wrong with that but if you want to take that route more often you need to display more range mainstream wise that’s how all the big superstars managed to do it because execs realized it made them more accessible and general audiences didn’t really grow tired of them this way. It’s why Will Smith does his sappy dramas, then his movies were he plays a wild comedic character then a movie were he plays a more intense character same with Tom Cruise and Johnny Depp. It makes them a more “universal” star. That Roomies thing may not actually be a bad idea, seriously.

 

[Frosty81]

And his next movie is with Johnny Depp, arguably the best actor of the past 20 years. In other words...he's likely to get over-shadowed AGAIN.

Johnny Depp is the best actor of the past 20 years? Johnny Depp is the most overrated actor I can think of in recent history. Seriously...you appear in a string of "artistic" and yet unsuccessful films and then commit to a Disney film in which you get to act drunk half the time and this is the formula for success and being considered the, "best". Sign me up. And the movie that Bale is starring in with Depp is called 'Public Enemies' not 'Public Government Agent Heroes'. The "villain", in this case Depp, is the focus of the movie. I'm pretty sure everyone else is overshadowed.

 

[Octoberist]

Being overrated is so subjective..

 

[Catman]

Being overrated is so subjective..

Indeed.

 

[cryptic name]

Except he didn't. People tend to exaggerate when they say that. Keaton was as memorable as Nicholson. Who can forget Keaton saying, "I'm Batman." It's one of the classic scenes in the genre. Plus, Burton and his screenwriters made sure that Batman always stole back the spotlight. Like, for example, the scene in the museum. Yeah, Nicholson had his moments dancing to Prince and destroying paintings, but arguably the most memorable part of that scene was Batman crashing through to the window to save Vicki Vale.

good post.

best keaton moment: "Now you wanna get nuts?! COME ON! Let's get nuts."

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Johnny Depp is the best actor of the past 20 years? Johnny Depp is the most overrated actor I can think of in recent history. Seriously...you appear in a string of "artistic" and yet unsuccessful films and then commit to a Disney film in which you get to act drunk half the time and this is the formula for success and being considered the, "best". Sign me up. And the movie that Bale is starring in with Depp is called 'Public Enemies' not 'Public Government Agent Heroes'. The "villain", in this case Depp, is the focus of the movie. I'm pretty sure everyone else is overshadowed.

Sorry man it's your opinion but Depp is in no way over-rated. The guy is frickin brilliant.

Who else can go from playing a dapper drug lord to a weird and slightly creepy Willy Wonker to a pissed up, acerbic tongued pirate and make it all so believable?

That's right, no one.

 

[Crook]

Gary Oldman is probably the only other actor I can think of who can match Depp in the vast amount of varying chameleon-like performances.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Yea Oldman is definitely one of the greats too. Even his more cartoony characters like Zorg out of Fifth Element are compelling.

 

[Catman]

Gary Oldman is probably the only other actor I can think of who can match Depp in the vast amount of varying chameleon-like performances.

Agreed. And he also over-shadowed Bale in TDK.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

Yea but I think Gordon was just a better written character in TDK.

 

[K.B.]

Agreed. And he also over-shadowed Bale in TDK.

Yea but I think Gordon was just a better written character in TDK.

Some will call this more TDK bashing, but I agree with you two and honestly feel that everyone other then Batman/Bruce were better written. Yeah it's great that Harvey, Jim and Joker were all so damn compelling but when you think about it, shouldn't Batman be the most compelling character in a Batman film?


(And a "food for thought" aside, anyone else find it funny how people that complain 89's Joker overshadowed/stole the show from Batman yet the same thing happens in TDK and no one says boo?)

 

[Eggyman]

Some will call this more TDK bashing, but I agree with you two and honestly feel that everyone other then Batman/Bruce were better written. Yeah it's great that Harvey, Jim and Joker were all so damn compelling but when you think about it, shouldn't Batman be the most compelling character in a Batman film?


(And a "food for thought" aside, anyone else find it funny how people that complain 89's Joker overshadowed/stole the show from Batman yet the same thing happens in TDK and no one says boo?)

I've heard quite a few say 'boo' about it. Some even used worse words

I like Bale, I do, but I've lost a lil interest in him the last couple of years. The Prestige was a great performance and he normally does a very good job... I just don't feel like he has much range or that the range he does have gets used too much. I'm starting to see a lot of the same in his performances. He can seem quite sterile and underplayed to me sometimes.

Keaton will always be my #1 Batman/Bruce. Then again 'always' is quite a big word to be using. It's quite a credit to Nolan that The Dark Knight knocked '89 from my top spot of Batfilms, even though I've never been that keen on Bale as Bats/Bruce.

I think he's one of those actors where if you take the one performance it can look quite impressive, yet if you compare it to his others you notice that it's more of the same. That's my feelings towards him anyway.

 

[Octoberist]

I think Bale has gotten too comfortable with the roles he would pick. Not to say that he doesn't work with great directors in great movies because he does. But even I'm losing interest in Bale, and I've been a fan for a while.

As good as Bale is, he's becoming somewhat one note unless he really shocks me in Public Enemies.

 

[shiveringmelody]

I know most don't feel the same, but I thought Bale was awesome in Terminator Salvation. While he did get overshadowed by Heath in TDK, so did Aaron and his Harvey/Two-Face was a thing of brilliance IMO. In my eyes, Bale continues to immerse himself into the character's he plays. He was Bruce/Bats and John Connor.......yet I can see where some are coming from, more so with Terminator Salvation. Salvation just had a bad script, yet I thought Bale held his own with a very good Worthington. No one had a shot of shinning too brightly in TDK with Heath's performance. Unlike Begins, Batman was not the backbone of TDK and had way more intriguing and iconic villians. Much like the '89 Batman flick, Joker got more shine although I thought Keaton was great as Bruce/Bats. Looking through all the Batman flicks, Begins to me is the first one to really let the focus be all on Batman and let him shine.

Also this talk of Depp being overrated I disagree with, but just like with Bale losing steam......it's all about opinions.

 

[baerrtt]

i agree, Bale needs to do a comedy pronto.
i don't he has really done one yet, American psycho doesn't really count, that was more satire.

Satire is a form of comedy and Bale's performance as Bateman got over largely because of how suprisingly funny he was in parts.

 

[TDK010]

"Has Christian Bale Lost Steam?"

No. Not in my mind. According to the media he has. Yes in some films he has had to play second fiddle but he's been great in every role he's played despite that. The media seem to love him one minute and hate him the next. As for all those morons who seem to think that he uses the growling voice in every film he's made, that's because they don't know anything about him as an actor and haven't watched any of his films before Batman Begins. We'll all now this media crap has gone too far when they start making comparisons with Bale and Keanu Reeves. Don't be suprised if it happens.

 

[Eric Brooks]

what I Love about Depp is he never intentionally wanted to become an actor, his first dream was to make it in Hollywood as a musician with his rock group. I remember in an interview awhile back, he was telling the story about how he packed up the bare essentials with his group (they were around 16 at the time) and just left their home town for the streets of California where he eventually ran into Nicholas Cage. Depp and Cage were just shootin the **** one night walking down the street and Cage throws out the idea to try acting and forget about music. With the group not going anywhere at that point Depp just decided "why not, got nothing better to do". Just like that, Cage called his agent and got him an audition for the small role in A Nightmare on Elm Street, which lead to 21 Jump Street and the rest is history as we all know it.


I just found that to be just simply amazing, a guy who previously never thought about acting, never took classes growing up, wanted to be a musician, just says "why not" turns around and does a 360 and becomes one of the greatest actors of all time

That...is Johnny Depp

 

[bullets]

Bale's got two movies coming out with Mark Wahlberg in 2011. The roles do seem interesting though.

 

[bullets]

There are some people Depp doesn't appeal to and the same goes with Bale. I enjoy them both immensely.

 

[Schlosser85]

I think it's dumb the way as soon as someone doesn't have a blockbuster coming out every five months, people start saying "whatever happened to so-and-so anyway?"

 

[Carmine Falcone]

No.

Rescue Dawn.