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Summary: American History X
Review: It surprises me that when I talk to people about this movie that a large amount of them haven't heard of this movie. This movie is does an excellent job at showing the true reality of racism in American. While not all racists are quite as radical as the characters in this movie, it does show racism in all is aspects. Edward Norton does an amazing job at portraying his character who's a leader and a an idolized racist who holds against the minorities because his father was killed by blacks. Edward Furlong plays Norton's little brother who looks up to him and adapts to his ways and tries constantly to impress his brother. Once Norton's character goes to jail for brutally murdering three blacks his little sets out and indulges himself further into the realm in which Norton had surrounded himself in. After Norton comes back from jail, changed and eager to leave the life he once lived, his brother begins to question his older brother.
This all results in what turns out to be one of the strongest messages against racism that has been portayed in American cinema as of today. This is of course a movie for the more mature of audiences but I garuntee that whether you like it or not you will give your opinions some thought.
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Summary: Is it racism an american institution?
Review: I used to wonder if racism could be considered an north american institution; a part of the north american culture. I don't any more after watching this film.
There's is a word used in the film "The Shawshank Redemption" that applies fine to American History X, and it's meant to point over the attitude to life of a prisoner (played by Morgan Freeman in that film, a color actor) which described very well how the human behavior could be "shaped" by the institutions (there represented by the prison system). Well..., American History X portraits to a modest extent, how a paternal figure, friends and even the neighborhood may turn a young naive wasp boy into an active racist pro-nazi leader. He do becomes an outstanding leader when his conduct was molded by the social pressure of his racial pairs.
The plot puts on the front how he became "institutionalized" after his father was killed by ratial motifs. Irrational anger and a desire for revenge can become an explosive mix when racism enters.
The film is quite powerful and Edward Norton couldn't be better as Derek Vineyard, playing the "institucionalized" racist leader.
The film puts on the table what "pushes" white people to violently attack and discriminate black, hispanic and asian people and viceverse, and surprinsingly, also at some point in the film, why each racial group may do care and protect to its racial "opposite" or even to destroy its race equals.
Don't miss it if you truly want to know more about how racism can be spreaded or avoided in North America and whom the truly victims are of this social, yet unsolved conflict in the USA at the beginning of the 21th. century.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: Simply outstanding film. Something everyone needs to see. A more perfect form of anti-racist propaganda would be difficult to find.
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Summary: "American History X": Providing Insight into Hate
Review: From an incredibly unknown director, "American History X" is a powerful film that brings the audience face-to-face with white supremacy. But this is not the easily dismissed, ignorant white supremacy that is represented in so many films these days. Rather, it is white supremacy in the mind of an extremely intelligent young man played by Edward Norton. While anyone with reasonable intelligence can see the holes in Derek Vinyard's logic, the arguments themselves are delivered with powerful and forceful eloquence that is absolutely shocking. Norton's performance is riveting; I am constantly amazed at the depth of his acting ability. One is able to go from hating him to being moved by him to absolutely routing for him-all in the same film. The movie is extremely graphic and moving. "American History X" is not your typical film about racism and violence. It manages to emerge from the rubble and provide a positive message for those of us who are left to deal with the world. Hate is learned; one can see that in the lives of these two neo-Nazis. But it can also be forgotten. The most important thing, however, is to never learn to hate in the first place. Not only does this film provide insight into the making of a racist, it empathizes with those who are unwittingly caught up in the false logic the white supremacists sell. Many movies try to dismiss those who hate. This film tries to understand where they are coming from and shows us how close we all are to crossing the line. I highly recommend this film to everyone.
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Summary: Norton and Furlong are excellent in X
Review: The plot is tremendous in this film. Norton plays a boy who has learned hate and learned it well. He is in fact so proud of his hate, that he is undeterred by his own arrest. We watch in horror as he brutally murders someone on the street--solely out of hate. Norton is amazing in this film. His performance is 180 degrees from what we saw in Primal Fear and just as awe inspiring. Norton IS the real deal; his talent is immense. Furlong does a good job as the kid brother who gives new meaning to the word idolize. Norton's struggle to prove to those who knew him before that he is a new man, as well as show his brother a different path and try to make up for old wrongs is heart-wrenching to watch.
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Summary: Courage to Change
Review: On the recommendations of several friends combined with Edward Norton being in the lead role for "American History X", I settled in for what I suspected would be a disturbing if quality movie for the evening. It was -- both quality and disturbing. I have never seen Norton anything but excellent in any role, my expectations of him were high, and he fully met and surpassed those expectations. Indeed, this is one of his best, and I can understand why he was nominated for an Oscar based on his performance in AHX. "American History X" portrays a young man turned into a neo-Nazi when his father, a man he unquestioningly idolizes as so many young sons do their fathers, is murdered. His father, a racist police officer, plants a seed of racism in his son's mind shortly before his death, and with the bloody fertilization of a brutal murder, the seed produces a young man filled with hatred and rage, seeking to spill blame on those different than himself. What makes Norton's character of Derek Vinyard so horrifying and plausible is his intelligence. This is not a person who swallows a prejudice whole. He turns it into a philosophy of life, and it is only when his rage flames out of control that we can see how dangerous his views are, how far reaching the hatred. Culminating in two murders that chill to the bone, Derek Vinyard is imprisoned. Outside of those prison walls, his younger brother, played also with exceptional skill by Edward Furlong, yet another boy who idolizes his older sibling, continues on the path Derek has blazed. Inside the prison walls, Derek Vinyard undergoes a harsh lesson of humility coupled with the kindness of an expected enemy that he finally realizes has saved him. Few things teach better than pain. Most lessons in life are learned best when we hit bottom. Derek Vinyard hits bottom hard, but it is the kindness of those he had seen as enemies that provides now the balm of human compassion that helps him complete his inner growth. He emerges from prison a changed man. Life is not so neat, however, and the seeds of hatred he has sown in prior years must yet travel their full course. To change a man's heart is a difficult feat. To transform hatred and rage into wisdom and compassion happens rarely, too rarely. But Norton makes this transformation of a man's heart ring true. The movie stands as a powerful statement of the possibilities of changing evil into good, of waking a spirit seemingly lost to hatred to the grace of love in what becomes a true hero: the man who was once fallen, who grows through his pain, and becomes a man able to stand up for what takes true courage - doing the right thing. The only flat performance in AHX is by Stacy Keach, who plays the guru of the Nazi movement. He is unable to pop out of his one dimensional character. But all other performances in this movie, notably also Beverly D'Angelo's potrayal of Derek's mother, are first class. However uncomfortable some of the graphic scenes in this movie, it is a must see.
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Summary: Disturbing.
Review: "American History X" definatly isn't a feel good movie, but it doesn't need to be. I knew before I saw this film that it would confront and bother me, but for all the horrible moments in this film I actually feel better having seen it. Edward Norton is fantastic, as he always is, as a skinhead living a life of hate and influencing the life of his younger brother. There are many mements where you hate Norton's character so much you can hardly stand it. However, unlike similar movies where the veiwer has no characters to relate to, the direction and acting in this movie accomplish an amazing task: the viewer starts to sypathise with Norton as he realises the futility of his hatred in prison. In the end, one message is clear: the only thing hate creates is more hate. Though tough to watch, this is a movie that more people need to see.
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Summary: Not as good as Romper Stomper
Review: Not as good as Romper Stomper, because I found it less enjoyable, but American History X is a great movie no doubt, I recommend buying this movie and Romper Stomper.
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Summary: this movie
Review: this movie was written by a certain david mckenna. he grew up and went to my high school together. a couple of years ago i had a chance to talk to him after a very chance encounter in santa monica. dave explained that his script was completely rewritten after he sold the rights to it. the original ending was the most important section of the film and it was completely altered. the original script calls for a accidental murder of the character danny, and a more thoughtful exposition of the thesis of the film, which is principally about fear and how fear shapes our societies, and a small view into how this might come about. dave explained that the edward norton "skinhead" character's realization of ignorance and fear was much more fully and subtley developed than in the final cut. this is unfortunate, and i think that dave's original script would have made a more meaningful movie. the idea of portraying a charasmatic white power neo-nazi is absolutely controversial, but in analysing the movie ( even the final product ) i think it is very clear that the "logic" behind nazi theories shown is extremely faulty. in fact, the inspiration for "derek" to embrace these ideas is absolutely linked to his personal and emotional experiences and not his logical mind. if you want to judge for yourself, watch the film closely! all in all, this film was well directed, and in my opinion very well acted. certain parts could have been made more realistic, like the basketball sequence. (ed norton is not a basketball good player by any standards...but that is trivial). this is a movie that interested me, and if you watch it remember that it was not intended by the writer to play out exactly as it does.
Rating:
Summary: American History X
Review: The best movie I have ever seen in my life. It's one of the only movies that has ever affected me personally.
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