Gripping.

Rating: Null/10 (25 December 2002)

That one word pretty much sums up this tour-de-force drama, about reformed, recently paroled ex-skinhead Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton, who is amazing in his Oscar-nominated performance), his troubled life, his confrontation with his past, and his relationship with his younger brother Daniel (Edward Furlong, who is equally startling). How a film with such stark subject matter like racism and intolerance can be made in this day and age and not seem over-the-top is incredible. The main reason that I enjoyed this film is because even though the main characters are hateful, hate-filled people, you can't help but commiserate with them. You can't help but feel sorry for them and the beliefs that they've espoused. This movie depicts the reality of racial discrimination in modern America and the drastic and dire effects these viewpoints can have. Also, irony and imagery are elements that, if used effectively enough, can teach others as well as make them think. The irony: Derek went to jail for killing a Black man, befriended a Black man in jail named Lamont (Guy Torry), and soon after changed his xenophobic line of thinking. The imagery: the B&W images represent Derek's bleak closemindedness as oppose to the color images, which symbolize his acceptance of 'color' in his life. The conclusion, which is nothing short of mesmerizing, is a vivid reminder that violence and hate constantly revolve in a vicious cycle. One of the most controversial and thought-provoking films in recent cinema, "American History X" is a film that everyone (racists and liberals alike) should view at least once. A must-see. ****