American History X
A reformed Neo Nazi is released from prison and tries to steer his brother away from his previously sinful, walked path.
American History X is a powerful film that delves into the severe extremes of racial discrimination and hate amongst rivals. Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) is a brutal Neo Nazi who is tried for a crime of murdering two black guys who attempted to steal his truck and sentenced to three years in prison. Upon his release, he is idolized by followers, especially his brother Daniel (Edward Furlong), who is on the verge of becoming a Neo Nazi. Derek tries to reform his brother to save him from going down the same path.
The structure of the film is laced with flashbacks that show you how evil was spawned within Derek and people of similar interest. We discover how Derek became so well respected in the Neo Nazi community and even more so, what led him to change his ways. In addition to seeing through Derek’s eyes, we also see through Daniel’s too. Daniel gets in hot water with the Principal and is forced to do a history assignment, through which we are sucked into his mind and learn about how he lives in his brother’s shadow and now how he hopes to emerge as a standout.
Edward Norton gives a commanding performance as a skinhead that earned him a much deserved Oscar nomination. His journey to hell and back in Southern California is extraordinary and hypnotizing to watch. Norton’s dedication to his craft is evident as he put on 30 pounds of muscle by doing nothing but slamming back protein and meat shakes while lifting weights constantly. The range displayed by Norton is riveting as we see the compassion radiate out of him after his extreme encounter with the dark side of a Neo Nazi preaching racial discrimination.
I thought this was an excellent example of classic filmmaking. Flashbacks are presented in black and white and the film tackles race issues in an interesting way. It certainly touches and sheds some light onto something we haven’t seen before much in films. It’s a captivating story and Norton is at the height of his career by proving why he’s one of the most talented young actors out there.
Written by: John Berkowitz
Reviewers Rating: 8.5
Reader's Rating: 10.00
Reader's Votes: 1
Added: 18-Jun-2008
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