1. The very first shot we are shown a bedroom, and it is all mainly white and empty looking which could
suggest a blank canvas and emphasize the emptiness of Patrick Batemans conscious. I like the
camera work in this scene because it gives us the illusion that someone is walking into the room,
allowing the audience to put themselves into the scene.
2. There are many mirrors and reflections in the apartment, highlighting the fact that Bateman
(Christian Bale) has different personalities, although we only see one appearance. I also like that it
isn’t a conventional mirror but instead picture frame which goes against the stereotypical ‘norm’.
3. All the lighting is natural sunlight, coming through open windows. This shows, Bateman’s cleanliness
and purity and as we find out throughout the rest of the film, he roams free and kills people. This goes
against the idea of hiding and the secrecy that serial killers normally have. There is no mysterious
shadow or darkness, setting an almost happy tone in a sadistic killer’s home.
4. As he peels it off, he has a very serious face. This also connotes peeling someone’s face off, and
his almost blank reaction shows how comfortable he is with it, showing how inhuman he is. After
peeling the mask off - he looks exactly the same. This suggests that, although he has separate
personalities, both sides of him look the same, making it difficult to distinguish the difference
between his two personalities.
