10 Great Thrillers You Might Have Overlooked

5) The Machinist (2004)

Six months before bulking up for the role of a lifetime as the Caped Crusader, Christian Bale underwent the most extreme weight cut imaginable, dropping to a jaw-dropping 120 pounds to portray a disturbed machinery operator, Trevor Reznik.

The Machinist is a work of art and has gained cult status in the years since its release, notably for Bale’s transformation and the shockingly skeletal body he shows off in the film. But it’s also a darn good yarn, with a Memento-esque riddle to solve.

Reznik hasn’t slept in a year and he’s rightly beginning to lose his grip on sanity. He’s disturbed by visions and can’t seem to lose a stalker who no one else recognizes. An unfortunate accident at the factory where he works sets off a chain of events that sends Reznik down the rabbit hole in search of answers.

Twisty, windy and revealing to the last minute, The Machinist is a satisfying yarn told with real cinematic flair and Bale is every bit his best beginning to end.