You wish it was history

Rating: 8/10 (18 December 2001)

American History X was more or less what I expected. Well done with some holes. I did expect a certain level of didactics, which is very difficult to avoid when dealing with a complex and sensitive issue.
The film is not one-sided, but it is unbalanced. We hear some very powerful arguments from the fascists, and get a very strong emotional message from the other side but neither is reciprocated. We do not really see the hatred in the fascists and hear no argument against them from normal' society. What we end up with is a messed up message that says these guys may be right but hate is bad because it does not make us feel good.
I am  of course  simplifying, but being a cerebral person, I expect a cerebral argument. There are very good arguments against the white supremacists that can go way beyond the let's love each other because the other options are ugly' argument that was presented here. The grievances' voiced are never challenged. Are we supposed to reject the arguments just because reprehensible people represent them? Do not be too taken by my grumbling here, this is a very good movie, truly a must see for everybody. It just had the potential to be a lot more than what it is. It did not give me the chill I got watching Menace to Society' (http://us.imdb.com/Details?0107554)