Brilliant Eye-Opener

Rating: 9/10 (15 May 2006)

Every now and then one of those films comes along and just blows you away. American History X is one of those films.
Set in Venice Beach, in the Neo-Nazi skinhead neighbourhood of LA. You have two brothers Derek (Edward Norton) and Danny Vinyard (Edward Furlong) whose father was killed putting out a fire in a black neighbourhood. Their father's death estranged them into believing everyone none white-protestant is scum. One night after winning a game of basketball, two blacks try to steal Derek's car in the middle of the night, Danny hears and tells his brother, who is the right out there with a gun in his hand. Where he kills one of them, and performs one of the most disturbing deaths in cinematic history to the other. Derek is put away to prison for three years, where he meets Lamont (Guy Torry, who gives an excellent performance) a black laundry worker who gives him a speech that makes him see that his beliefs were wrong. He returns from prison a changed man, but isn't pleased to see that his brother has followed in his footsteps. And is being brainwashed by Seth (The amazing Ethan Suplee) and shady gang leader Cameron Alexander (Stacy Keach). And Derek goes about to stop this.
American History X is a mind blowing assault on the senses and the mind. And gives out a powerful message. Although at times it seems like it is trying too hard to put across that message to the audience. Edward Norton is fantastic as the Neo-Nazi skinhead, and in my opinion should have got the Oscar at the Academy Awards. Also lookout for Ethan Suplee his performance as Obese, racist, basketball player is a very different role from the slow-witted Randy in My Name Is Earl, and is also outstanding.
The films message is that racial prejudice is pointless and life is too short to hate people because of their skin colour, my hope and most probably the writers hope is that this message got through to some people.
9/10 Magnificent film, only thing that lets it down slightly is that it tries to hard to touch upon it's basis, but apart from that: Incredible, definitely worth a watch. (Maybe even a few watches).