Rating: 
Summary: Complex Racial Issues - Great Screenwriting
Review: "Hate, is baggage." Those, along with a quote from Abraham Lincoln, are the last words spoken in the final narration of American History X; a movie with so much depth and character that it makes the regular Hollywood fare look like student films in comparison. Amazingly, it has a first time feature director in Tony Kaye and a freshman screenwriter in David McKenna. Danny Vinyard's (Edward Furlong) young life has seen its share of pain and turmoil: first, his father is murdered doing his job and then he witnesses his older brother Derek (Edward Norton) murdering two would-be robbers. Derek is a kind of über neo-Nazi, an Honors English student in High School and a protégé of the local racist leader, Cameron Alexander (Stacey Keach). He is also Danny's hero. After their dad is killed fighting a fire in a Compton crack den, Derek turns his hate into action and becomes a leader of the growing White Power movement in Venice Beach. He is never a true believer though -- the group is an outlet for his charismatic personality and his rage at things he doesn't understand. Cameron is right there to focus the attention of hopeless, young white kids like him and gives them an excuse to be angry, and stay angry. The story, mostly told by Danny, is featured in black and white flashbacks with the current story told in color. It opens with Danny in Dr. Sweeney's office (Avery Brooks as the principal) for writing a civil rights paper entitled "My Mien Kampf." It is the same day Derek is released from Chino after serving three plus years for homicide for the aforementioned killings. When Danny finally sees Derek again he realizes that he has come home a man, and we witness one of the most powerful stories of redemption I have ever seen. We cannot truly know how far he has come until we see where he has been. Where he has been is told in a brutal, graphic and final manner but it does provide the basis for his evolution. When Derek goes into prison he is a hardened young man. He immediately makes his presence known to the Aryan convicts and is safe with them. Little does he realize his attitude of purity and adherence to philosophy gets him nowhere here. He becomes jaded from the compromise he sees his posse making and goes off on his own. After being raped and humiliated by one of his own men, Derek is visited by Dr. Sweeney, who offers his help. He tells Derek about his own angry days of youth: "I used to be mad too. Mad at everyone. Mad at society, white people, God. I had all the wrong answers but I wasn't asking the right questions. You need to ask the right questions, Derek." "Like what?" "Has anything you've done made your life better?" The slow headshake Derek gives is the turning point. His only contention left is to deal with the prison's black population (the "brothers") who will be gunning for him. As he is leaving he realizes that the young black guy who befriended him, and broke down his perceptions, had put out the word that he be left alone. Derek has grace extended to him and doesn't even realize it. He only understands the mercy he has lived under as he is leaving, but it has already changed him. Dr. Sweeney gives him help too, but it is a conditional grace based on his heart change. Both of them are worried about Danny and they both realize that he is headed down the same path Derek is departing from. Not only is Derek a man of honor when he comes home, he displays a compassion and protectiveness of his family he hasn't had for years. He is clearly appalled at where they have to live and they are his top priority now. He does make mistakes and lashes out in anger several times but that is what makes him the man he is; a character fully realized. He is about his business of severing the ties that bind him to his old life (even some very personal ones) and rebuilding the new life he has been given. X is an emotional and moving piece of work, a wonderful marriage of image, writing, and acting. Mr. McKenna boldly draws characters, not caricatures. He does not rely on the handy crutch of pathos but allows his progeny to live and move amongst the rest of us. The material he supplies allows Edward Norton to shine and give an Oscar-worthy performance. Mr. Kaye shows a flair for the showy image at times but as Edward Norton states: "his visuals...are wholly unique" and he does make his presence felt less than many other Hollywood directors. On a side note, during post-production, the director decided he did not want his name anywhere on the picture and is still bad-mouthing it to this day. (He considers it "raped" by Edward Norton -- whom he calls a "narcissistic dilettante" -- and New Line Cinema, when he was refused more money and time for a third edit). What is more ironic is this egotistical clown, who is by his own estimation "the greatest English filmmaker since Alfred Hitchcock," could win an award for his work on the movie; work he fought months to damage and have his name replaced with a pseudonym. When asked about wanting to have his credits read 'Humpty Dumpty' he explained "Its all about the fall of mankind..." -- my guess is that would be anything that removes Tony Kaye from the spotlight, with his teeth marks still planted on it.
Rating:
Summary: What a rush!
Review: This movie weasels it's way into my mental top 10 list of all-time great movies. It's such an emotional roller coaster ride from start to end. Ed Norton puts forth his best acting effort yet. The whole cast was picked perfectly. This movie is a must see!!!!
Rating:
Summary: 10 years after "Do The Right Thing",not much has changed
Review: "American History X" is one of those films that is so important,flaws and all,that it can't be ignored.As with Spike Lee's ground-breaking classic,"AHX" deals very honestly and compellingly with hate,alination and confusion,and the racist feeling that can result from them.Edward Norton,always excellent,gives the performance of his career as Derrick Vinyard,a young man driven to hate and racism by the death of his father.The story follows his imprisonment and eventual rehabilitation throgh an artful use of flash-backs and broken narrative.Once out of prison,he attempts to steer his younger brother away from the life he started,finding that the roots of racism are harder to sever than he imagined.I don't want to give any more away,just suffice it to say that this film offers a compelling,well-rounded look at a festering problem in our society,in all it's troubling complexity.Not to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: Hate is contagious and Dangerous
Review: I recently bought this movie on an impulse buy, and also a friends recommendation to do so. I was moved by the superb acting and intense story. It is a movie that you will definatley enjoy if you like Ed norton.This story is a very realistic one and any one who is interested in learning more about the way hate is contagious as well as dangerous this is a great movie. I recommend it very highly!
Rating:
Summary: Very Inspiring
Review: "Good art restores values. It aims to destroy the false-not all values, not all authority-and create the good and virtuous." That quote is what Oliver Stone believes good art should be, if it is to be classified as good art. The movie American History X is very complex and intricate. I feel that it is indeed an example of good art. It clearly does follow Stone's guidelines to be classified as this. In this film the false values are attacked, such as the showing of how ignorant and blind racism is and makes people. The film also goes on to create the good. You can see this creation as the film progresses. You see it in the form of Derek's transition from skinhead racist back to an almost "normal" human being. I found it quite interesting to see some of the signs of this transition. I noticed how in the beginning of the film we see Derek so full of hate and anger, which leads to the un-thinkable act he committed against someone just because of the "color" of his skin. We see how Derek begins to realize the wrong in his ways while he is in prison for his crime. At first when he is paired off with a "black" man named Lamont for the task of folding laundry, Derek shows no emotion or any kind of response when he is talked to by his "co-worker," but then as time goes by, he eventually begins showing some signs of emotion. Finally, the breaking point, he is actually laughing when Lamont makes a joke and then we begin to see him actually talking to Lamont with a certain amount of respect. This seems to be because he realizes this "colored" man is a fellow human being, no different from him or anyone else; it was only until he was forced to be near one that he realized that. American History X, I believe, clearly works to create. Many people may take it as an attempt to destroy, but in actuality I feel it is working to create by destroying any notions that racism is okay. We are thrust into a victim's life, a victim who has felt the brunt of racism and its destruction of society. We see that this destruction, if not controlled or contained, is about to consume the life of another human being, happening to be the first victim's own brother. The film aims to destroy the false values and beliefs that are set forth by racism in general. We are clearly shown the consequences of what can happen if something gets out of hand and totally consumes one's mind and way of thinking. After this "destruction," created is hope. It is shown that people can change, and although the main character, Derek, committed an atrocious act and apparently showed no remorse, he did in fact change. It was only when the consequences of such actions were thrust upon him and he was forced to see the "light," that he began to gain an understanding and see the gaping holes in his beliefs. An understanding is created. The viewers are shown that these people are not hopeless; they just need help. Hatred is often condemned by those who claim to have no hatred in themselves, while in fact, often the people that are condemning hatred are actually showing hate towards the people that are "doing" the actual acts of hate. This film in a way aims to open one's eyes and show them that such people are not hopeless; in other words, "it aims to destroy the false... and create the good and virtuous." The look Derek gives himself in the mirror looking at the tattoo of a swastika on his chest after taking a shower is very influential, the looks almost says these exact words with out making a sound, "I just took a shower and cleansed my entire body and yet, I am still dirty." It took Danny's brother Derek to make those changes occur, Derek had obviously learned his lesson and did not at all want Danny to go through what he had just gone through. He wanted this at all costs and luckily Danny somewhat idolized Derek so all Derek had to do was basically get the ball rolling, although it was deeper than that. In the film we are also shown where the root of this hatred came from, it originated from Derek's father. Although it was not a direct instruction to hate, it was a seed of doubt, doubt that told Derek to not "believe it all." This was the beginning of it all and when Derek's dad was killed by a person which he was told "to be careful" about, this helped to spawn it even more. Escalating this mistrust and doubt into the eventual climax of hate which led to another person's death, although that person was still not totally innocent, his life was still taken. I hold American History X to be an act of resistance and a piece of good art for in my opinion it clearly meets Stone's criteria for this. It was destroying the false by showing a "real" family and not a phony family, which is just for entertainment. It does not destroy all authority and not all values. It defiantly aims to create; it creates an understanding and a realization of the wrongness of racism and hatred. It aims to create the good and virtuous by showing Derek and Danny's new understanding of people towards the end of the film. If this film were shown to people that are racist in someway it could help them greatly, and I believe that is a very important feature of this film as well, all the more making it good art in my opinion. I believe it adheres to Stone's principles very strongly and I also believe that more films should be like this one: good.
Rating: 
Summary: Racism learned and unlearned
Review: Wow. I didn't want to watch this movie at first, but it has since become one of my all-time favorites. It is incredibly graphic in almost all areas (nudity, violence, language), but only to hammer the lifestyle these characters live home. The movie stars Edward Norton as Derek, a Neo-Nazi skinhead in the city of Venice Beach, Cali. Angered by his father's death and the circumstances surrounding it, he turns to a path of race hatred culminating in the brutal killings of 2 black men. In prison, he learns that his rhetoric and propaganda won't save him here - he must rely on bribes paid to other race groups to survive. After a brutal rape by fellow skinheads, he renounces his racist views and, once released from prison, must prevent his younger brother Danny from following in his footsteps. This is a very powerful movie, with scenes that can shock and sicken. It carries the highest possible RSAC ratings for violence, language, and sexuality. Beyond all that, however, you'll find an excellent film with a powerful message.
Rating:
Summary: Ace Movie, but not for everyone
Review: From what I had heared from friends, i was expecting a normal pointless violence skinhead movie. I no longer take advise from them for movies. This is an amazing movie Norton deserved an award and the issues in this movie are so real you can read them in the paper each morning. Although it is a great movie, some might be put off by it, i know many people who didn't see it after they heard about the prison rape scene. But in my view it needed to be there to ephasise the harshness of the innmates. It is very graphic but whatever it has is there for a purpose. all performances are great and the effects of the black and white along with all the other effects and the story make this a rippa of a movie
Rating:
Summary: pointless?
Review: I discussed this film with a girl at work, she was wondering what DVDs to by for her boyfriend. I suggested American History X but also warned her that though it was an amazing piece of cinema it was also not the nicest film she would see, no picket fences no manicured lawns. Whilst half way through this some one else, someone who until then I thought to be intelligent and open minded told her not to bother as the film is pointless. After watching it you may not feel that it is a good movie "I would disagree" but I challenge any of you to claim it was pointless. So if you fancy a film about racism that is not pointless. Is there any other sort? then I suggest you take the time to watch this and let it get into your mind
Rating:
Summary: Not just a movie, a learning experience
Review: I rented this movie expecting a badly-made and decently-acted flick that would kill two hours. What I got was one of the best movies that I have ever seen, with a hard-hitting, shocking, and very emotional lesson about hatred and racism. I agree with an earlier reviewer. This movie should be shown in high schools, because if one piece of literature can steer kids away from hatred for a different race, this is it. At the risk of sounding overtly cheesy or cliche', I feel like I'm a better person for having watched this movie, and that I've learned something from this movie.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful, powerful, powerful
Review: A must see for anyone interested in race relations in this country. Unfortunately, a lot of the white power talk in the movie is believed by people in our communities. It seems so insane to us, but it exists. Although, not one racist will be swayed by the argument the movie makes, its a powerful depiction of results bred by a life of hate. That being said, you won't be disappointed. Edward Norton is incredible, and a post T2 Furlong works well as little brother. Overy dramatic? Sure. Believable? Yes. Over three hundred people have written reviews on this film. If that many different people took time out of their busy lives to put their opinions down for all to see, the movie made its point. You don't walk away from the movie without feeling strongly about it.
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