Rating: 
Summary: Intense
Review: Edward Norton (Nazi) is convincing as I have ever seen an actor be. This movie recounts the psycotic events which forever changed the mind of one man and destroyed an entire family.Once this movie ended I thought of it as one of the three most powerful emotional moments of my life.
Rating:
Summary: A must see
Review: This movie gets everything right. I think a comparison to Ralph Ellison's classic novel Invisible Man is in order when evaluating this film. It makes a statement without offering any solutions. It's a sobering experience about injustice and the rift humans have with each other, especially, but not exclusively in terms of race. It's not so easy to dismiss the racism as being narrow-minded in this movie. The director does a good job of not falling into the trap that racism is wrong for no other reason than it just is. We see the full picture. We see why Derek (Edward Norton) feels the way he does. We see how his actions have affected his whole family. This movie is about people trying to make sense of their world. With American History X we are given a snapshot into a family. An American family. Good, bad, ugly, warts and all. The characters experience compassion, hate, anger, grief, love, forgiveness, and pain. There is no sugar-coating. This a heart-renching and heavy movie. The acting is completely believable and the direction is perfect. I think too many people write this movie off as a movie about racial issues. I think that is a mistake, and further more racial issues are only a part of what this movie has to offer. However, this film is not for the faint of heart. I tried to get my mom to see it, but she just couldn't take. It's not an easy film to watch. So if that doesn't sound like your cup of tea I would not reccommend this movie to you. But I would also add that sometimes going through something difficult makes you a better person in the end.
Rating: 
Summary: Perpetuates negative stereotypes!
Review: The person who said they didn't use the word skinhead in the movie is wrong. When the police are discussing Norton's character in the conference room they blantanly call his gang the most dangerous skinhead gang. I found this very insulting considering that I am a skinhead and that the "skinheads" potrayed in the movie were what skinheads call boneheads. The real skinhead culture has it's roots in Jamaican music and British working class ethics. It started in the late 60's when the Jamaican immigrants to Britian brought with them their music and what was know as the "rudeboy" style. Young working class mods that were fed up with the Psychodelic scene caught on to the rudeboy scene and came up with their own version of the tough jamaicans....the first skinheads. They were not racist in any way and were always socializing with the Jamaican and other island immigrant youths. The fact that the media and major motion pictures only give attention to the Neo-Nazi copycat skinheads not only offends me, but also socially marks me....and if I'm in the wrong place could possibly be a danger to my safety. So, in conclusion, even though I really like Edward Norton as an actor, this movie is horrible and should have never of been made without recognition to the original skinhead movement.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite movie
Review: I think this movie is one of the best ever made and is a must see. It is all about hate and how you should not hate groups if other people tell you to. Beautiful performances by Edward Norton and Edward Furlong. A great plot with no joking, all serious. There is only some blood, not a lot. The best Movie I have ever seen next to the godfather.
Rating: 
Summary: the sins of your past can come back to haunt you...
Review: I thought this an interesting, well-acted movie. In response to the comments of some previous reviewers, I don't think it was meant to be anti-conservative propaganda, for the simple fact that most of Derek's conservative views (on issues like Rodney King and illegal immigrants) were never rebutted at any point during the movie. To me, the movie seemed to be saying that blind hatred and violence are not productive means of addressing complex social problems. It is true, as another reviewer wrote, that the movie didn't offer any real solution to racism, but I don't think that was the point. No one has the "magic solution" to racism, but Derek's actions before he was sent to jail were clearly not the solution (they only lead to further division), and I think the movie succeeded in demonstrating that. By the way, just to tell you a little about myself, I'm black, male, I'm not a Democrat (no political affiliation), and I believe there are serious problems with the affirmative action system....
Rating: 
Summary: meh
Review: Things I liked:
Edward Norton
B/W memories, technicolor present Things I disliked:
The lacking defense of "liberalism." what was their defense? that nazis are wrong because they are violent, inconsistant, and will betray you? well, okay, that's a good reason for not joining a gang thereof, but the philosophy was not deconstructed AT ALL. The sister screams swear words at her brother, there's a winning defense. I want to know what "those books" were that changed his mind! Point out those "big holes" in the rhetoric! His arguments WERE convincing, that's because no one presented another side. I also had a hard time figuring out the solutions this movie tried to present: stop the hatin', you whites, then blacks will stop the hatin'? What's the correct solution to the three blacks who beat the one white student? They weren't hating him for his whiteness, but they grouped together because they were black. How does one prevent that while pushing the message that you are special because of where your ancestors immigrated from? I don't know, I thought the plot left a lot to be desired in realism and argument. The time-line also seemed really screwy. The sister's life, the one that rejects the racism her father has taught, is ignored. Why did she react differently? There were plenty of Nazi girls, it wasn't because she was a girl. reviewers, note this:
He did not just shoot at people who were trying to break into his car, he shot them, then violently, purposefully murdered one [remember that curb? that is not a normal reaction to seeing someone break into your car]. It is NOT defending your family to shoot to kill at people running away. The word 'skinhead' was not mentioned in that movie once, for a reason, they didn't want to throw in a whole scene about the arguments between Neo-Nazi Skinheads and SHARP [Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice] - basically, a neo-nazi can be a skinhead, but a skinhead isn't necessarily a neo-nazi. Having hair, I don't express affiliation into either group, but I dislike over-broad labeling.
Rating:
Summary: This is not a feel good movie...
Review: It's tough, gritty, brutal and honest. Hatred is something people feel at least once in their lives...this film centers on how hatred has cast a shadow over a middle-class suburban family. Ed Norton plays a reformed white power advocate who is just getting out of prison and trying to right all the wrongs he's done in his life. Norton attemps to rescue his younger brother, who's played by Ed Furlong, from the clutches of a white power guru. Intense and eye-opening, this film is not for those who are easily offended by racial slurs and other subjects that tackle racism in all it's true light. Along the same lines as Romper Stomper, but not quite as overtly racist. The DVD is somewhat weak, and only contains a few features that don't add up to much. Big fans of the film may want to pass until another edition hits shelves, whenever that may be...but it's certainly worth a look for the curious
Rating:
Summary: one of the better films I've seen
Review: First off one of the best things about this movie was Edward Norton's performance. In my opinion he's one of the best actors in hollywood.
. The plot is somewhat predictable but this doesn't subtract from the powerful theme. This story attempts to delve into the social tensions between minority groups and focuses specifically on the circumstances and environment that create someone like Derek, a guy who becomes fraught with hatred after his father is murdered by black drug dealers. The movie doesn't begin there; rather, it gradually traces the circumstances that influenced Derik's racist thinking. I wouldn't say there are any political motifs here. Some may call this "liberal propaganda" but I'm not quite sure that is the case. Sure some of the racists held 'conservative' views but I'm against Affirmative action, for welfare reform, and a proponent for individual responsibility. Does that make me a racist? Absolutely not. Besides the fact that I'm Mexican-American, I do not think that because I hold these views I therefore think that everyone has equal opportunity (the level of opportunity accorded is dependent on social class) and that social inequities are necessarily the result of indolence, racial inferiority, or personal irresponsibility. I personally found this film to be very interesting. Racism is not a black and white problem. Racism comes from all sides.
I recommend this film.
Rating:
Summary: Overrated. No original plot.
Review: This movie is so horrible: it relies on cheap shock tactics to hold your attention because it has no real story, at least not one that's been told before: confused white boy is angry at black people because his dad told him to be and is finally redeemed. First of all, the argument is made unconvincing because of a real fact: the black guys that Derrick kills for breaking into his car are in fact BREAKING in to it. And they were armed. I mean, come on, what would you do if you looked out your window and saw that? If you had a family to protect and if those hoods had guns? He had a right to protect his family, so the idea of him going to prison for protecting his family from ARMED GANG MEMEBERS is ludicrous, but it shows really how decayed the justice system in America is. Don't get me wrong, I am not a racist at all, but some of what this movies tries to explore is the unspoken truth that divides races today in America. Daniel's perspective is often true, especially during the dinner scene, where he speaks of Rodney King. One thing that was particularly disturbing is the gay rape scene in prison. It's pretty disgusting. I mean, they could have left that implied: I don't need to see a gay rape scene in this movie. That alone puts it over the top. It's very revolting and demeaning to men everywhere. I don't like how people who disagree with this movie's unclear "message" are taken for racists because most of the time this film teeters back in forth. Just don't bother with this one, folks.
Rating:
Summary: AMAZING
Review: I have NEVER been so impacted by a movie ever in my life. I seriously felt physically sick after seeing this...its just so real, so intense, so deep, so powerful, so haunting, I cant even explain the feeling it gives you. I was speechless once it was over; I mean the ending just throws your heart over the edge. The way the movie was captured is just so unique and creative...I think this is one of the best films ever made. I also think it is very under rated, and I really cant stand the people who hate it. If you are one of those people, you obviously missed what the movie is trying teach us about life and the human race. You also may have read too much into the movie- its ridiculous to over analyze and criticize things that have clear honest meanings. Anyways...the acting is incredible, of course Norton gave the performance of a live time, but I think Edward Furlong did JUST as well. I actually think in ways Furlong's performance was more haunting; he just has a very real, vulnerable quality to him. I think together they made the movie utterly astounding and mind-blowing.
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