An examination of racism, in both directions, that is brutal, but brutally honest

Rating: 7/10 (13 July 2007)

I'm not quite sure which planet the last reviewer lives on, but to suggest that racism doesn't exist purely because of the colour of a person's skin is being either naive or in denial. This film portrays just how one-dimensional racists and white supremacists really are. The main character's views, played by Edward Norton, on white supremacy are second hand, as are his young brother's (played by Edward Furlong). Their conversion to racism is dramatic, almost akin to the conversion on the way to Damascus, and yet highly plausible. Their deliverance is again dramatic, and this can possibly be because their racist convictions were not necessarily genuine, or deeply held. I'm not quite sure why the last reviewer thought that class and other weightier topics were ignored, I believe they're present, but not rammed down your throat, after all, this is a movie about the dark side of humanity that comes clothed in racism,and racism in both directions. It isn't attempting to explore issues of poverty, mental illness etc. as I said, other issues do feature, you only have to be observant.
This film, unfortunately, is as relevant today as it was when it was first made almost ten years ago.People are still dying on our streets (and corner shops) because of the colour of their skin, or their ethnic origin. The parts, in the main, are well played, although had they lengthened the film by another 10 -15 minutes, then they could have explored, a bit more, the characters of the mother and sister.Elliot Gould's character, unfortunately, fails to develop, and Avery Brooks does come across as a bit of a stereotypical crusader. On the whole, a movie well worth watching. not thought provoking, rather a pretty good mirror on the worst elements of society.