Hate is baggage

Rating: 10/10 (2 January 2020)

HERE'S a movie that people try to avoid talking about. The most powerful, iconic, and infamous scene in American History X, as you may have guessed, is the curb stomp scene. When I first saw Edward Norton's character kick that robber's head on the curb, I actually felt my head split open in unison with the guy and my heart plummet into my stomach. The shot that followed also really got me, in which Norton, as he is being arrested, puts his hands on his head and turns around. His eyes are wide open and staring at his dumb-struck younger brother, his eyebrows raised, and his smile stretching ear to ear. Across his face are etched the words, "I have no regrets. Absolutely no regrets." The film is a shocking and tremendously powerful one that has a strong message about the immorality of Nazism and racism. It's a visit to a world that most of us hope to never encounter, let alone join. Surprisingly, the graphic content in this film doesn't compel me to give it a lower rating. There's a equilibrium in the violent and nonviolent scenes, which is why I'm giving this film a 10/10