Decent but overdramatic and overrated

Rating: 6/10 (24 September 2017)

'American History X' is a decent but flawed drama about Derek, a former neo-Nazi who, after serving time in prison for the murder of a black man, reforms himself and tries to prevent his younger brother, Danny, from following in his footsteps. The film cuts back and forth between the past and present, showing us what Derek used to be like and the path that his younger brother is at risk of going down.
It's a solid drama and an interesting enough watch, but with an average rating of 8.5 it's also massively overrated. Several parts of the film feel forced and not at all convincing, especially the ending which was over-the-top and completely unnecessary. The film contains enough drama without the need for an forced and overdramatic ending that contributes very little to the story other than some blood and violence. Overall, 'American History X' is a decent but overrated drama film.