Zomg, the new Terminator Salvation trailer is out today. We’ve all listened to star Christian Bale’s awesomely vitriolic rant, and we’ve all seen The Dark Knight (some of us more than once, apparently, since the movie’s box-office haul was somewhere in the bajillions). Hell, if you’re like me, you’re already looking forward to the summertime release of Public Enemies — Michael Mann’s Depression-era gangster drama starring Bale as a G-Man out to nab Johnny Depp’s John Dillinger. No trailer for that flick yet (it’s out July 1), but Bale’s got plenty more, in a diverse career that includes everything from his debut in 1987’s Empire of the Sun to 1998’s Velvet Goldmine; 2000’s American Psycho; 2005’s The New World; and 2007’s Rescue Dawn and I’m Not There.
But there’s a Bale movie that often gets overlooked — and no, I don’t mean 1993’s Swing Kids or even 1992’s Newsies. I’m talking post-apocalyptic despair, shaggy facial hair, fire-dodging reflexes, and the ability to act opposite a ridiculously over-the-top Matthew McConaughey while keeping a straight face. Yep: it’s 2002’s Reign of Fire, y’all.