Dramatic But Disappointing

Rating: 7/10 (17 March 2013)

This is really a frustrating Movie. It has a lot worth watching but there are some things that keep this from being a great Movie. There is Edward Norton's versatile performance and some good looking Cinematography and it is all in support of a sociological/psychological problem that is forever haunting the American Dream.
It is a confusing and only slightly believable, if powerful, story of racism and hatred. People searching for solutions to complex problems and lashing out with unintelligent behavior. Both the White Supremacist and the Black Gangs are equally ignorant and their actions are stupefying.
The Film makes a powerful effort for it all to be meaningful, but it comes across as somewhat stereotypical. It is far less insightful than it pretends to be. It is all carried along by the extreme portrayals and the darkly poetic visuals.
The prison middle and heroic transformation has the weakest of explanations and is rather shallow. Add to that the overacting of a fat Neo-Nazi and a stilted educator swallowing his lines as if he really doesn't believe anything he is saying, and the Film is rendered interesting but overrated. Worth a look see for some of the strong suits but ultimately superficial and somewhat a disappointment.