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"Mature Content Warning!" |
| “ | There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction—but there is no real me; only an entity, something illusory. And though I can hide my cold gaze, and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense our lifestyles are probably comparable: I simply… am not… there. | „ |
| ~ Patrick's infamous monologue in the film. |
| “ | I have all the characteristics of a human being: flesh, blood, skin, hair; but not a single, clear, identifiable emotion, except for greed and disgust. Something horrible is happening inside of me and I don't know why. My nightly bloodlust has overflown into my days. I feel lethal, on the verge of frenzy. I think my mask of sanity is about to slip. | „ |
| ~ Patrick Bateman describing the decline of his sanity. |
Patrick Bateman is the titular main protagonist of the controversial 1991 horror novel American Psycho and its 2000 film adaptation of the same name.
He is an investment Wall Street banker who supposedly leads a double life of serial murder as he presents himself in story as nothing more than shallow, egotistical and materialistic person.
In the 2000 film, he was portrayed by Christian Bale. In the audiobook, he was voiced by Pablo Schreiber, who also portrayed William Lewis in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
What Makes Him a Hate Sink?[]
- Without even getting into the murders, Bateman is a shallow narcissist who exhibit the worst traits of yuppie culture, racism, sexism/misogyny/misandry, classism, ableism, xenophobia, and queerphobia, all things he admits about himself and is completely aware of.
- Despite all her hard work and the fact that she obviously has a crush on him, he repeatedly belittles and demeans his secretary Jean.
- While Patrick was driven mad by the shallow materialism of yuppie culture and lack of identity, this doesn't make him sympathetic or tragic given his detestable traits.
- It's heavily implied that he only got his high-paying job out of nepotism, making his classism against the poor insanely hypocritical.
- Furthermore, he does not appear to do anything legitimately sensible on his job, only proving this point and own overall disingenuity.
- His views on women and admiration of serial killers goes so far that even his highly misogynistic co-workers seem somewhat disturbed by some of his comments.
- He leads a double life of murdering, raping, and torturing across his time in New York. His murders and rapes, and tortures are so brutal, that they cannot be spoken here, but they go on for multiple chapters in excruciating details.
- One of these victims included a 5-year-old child, in which he stabbed in a crowd, with proceeding to scream at the distraught mom.
- He mutilated/blinded a homeless man and broke his dog's legs.
- He murdered his co-worker Paul Owen/Allen with an axe brutally out of petty jealousy because Paul's business card was better than his own.
- He has also said to have brutally beaten a young homeless little girl to death and even was considering raping her.
- He attempted to strangle Luis, only stopping when he was revealed to be gay out of disgust, showing his misandry.
- During a psychotic break, he commits mass murder upon many people around the street, including the police.
- He showed absolutely no care for anyone, neither his family members, fiancé nor his secretary.
- While his narcissism and over-the-top flaunting of Yuppie culture is sometimes played for black comedy, such as the moments where he plays Huey Lewis and Phil Collins, they do not detract from his unlikability but instead add to it.
- While there is the possibility that Bateman never really murdered anyone, this doesn't dilute his hate factor one bit for two reasons:
- At best, Bateman is simply an insane shallow, narcissistic, materialistic, racist, classist, sexist/misogynistic/misandristic, xenophobic, ableist, and queerphobic asshole who simply thinks that he’s better than everyone else and would have no problem committing those murders, rapes, and tortures.
- At worst, Bateman is a detached would-be serial killer and rapist who finds thrill in hurting people lesser than him and has no qualms, positive emotions, remorse, or care for anyone.
- While his death in Lunar Park of being burned alive in a boat is exceptionally brutal and painful, it is ultimately a karmic and well-deserved punishment. Especially taking into account that his author did it after growing disgust towards Bateman's felonies.
Trivia[]
- Bateman is a unique and interesting example of a Hate Sink. Even though the creator Ellis confirmed that Bateman was intended to be an unsympathetic monster, his character was also supposed to illustrate how the conformity of New York yuppie culture can dehumanize a person and drive them mad.
- Bateman was born on September 19th, 1961.
- Despite his Hate Sink status, Bateman is more well liked in the film by audiences due to Bale's acting and charisma and some funny lines as well as lacking his more heinous crimes from the novel.
- In fact, Bateman is a rare example of Laughably Evil Hate Sink, whose comedy makes him even more unlikable and not vice versa.
- It is likely he would've never gained such popularity in the first place if the movie didn't delete these heinous crimes in question.
External links[]
- Patrick Bateman on the Villains Wiki
- Patrick Bateman on the Pure Evil Wiki
- Patrick Bateman on the Ultimate Evil Wiki
- His novel counterpart on the Reception Scaling Purgatory Wiki
- His film counterpart on the Main Light Horse Wiki
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