X marks the spot

Rating: 8/10 (11 May 2000)

So much is being written about the battles between New Line Cinema and Director Tony Kaye over his debut feature film that hardly anything is being said about the film itself. That's too bad because American History X, despite a few hiccups, is an intense, tautly written, and beautifully lensed trumpet song heralding the arrival of a formidable new talent.

Danny (Furlong) is an impressionable youth who greatly admires and looks up to his brother Derek (Norton). Trouble is, Derek is the leader of an organized skinhead group. One evening, Derek goes on a rage and murders two black men. Three years later, on the day of Derek's release from prison, Danny turns in a book report on Mein Kampf and lands in the principal Sweeney's (Brooks) office. As punishment, Sweeney demands Danny rewrite the paper tracing his brother's path to murder. Told partially in flashback American History X, grapples with serious issues of hatred, racism, and whether or not such deep-seated resentment can be turned back.
Kaye directed commercials for Volvo, Volkswagen, and Nike (not to mention Soul Asylum's award-winning "Runaway Train" video) and much of the film features commercial-like moments: long lingering camera sweeps, plenty of slo-mo, light bursts, and inspired camera angles. Kaye manages to capture some memorable images. Still, despite this, at some points it gets a little tedious. Some of the emotional impact is washed away from certain scenes simply because the camera just won't stand still.
Another wonderful surprise is the crispness of the black and white footage Kaye shot. Like Pleasantville, after extended periods of black and white, when color does reappear, it seems all the more vibrant.
Maybe Kaye's version would have addressed this but the picture does have its share of problems. Will working in a prison laundry alongside a chummy black guy really change such deep-rooted hatred and fear in Derek? Wouldn't the skinheads attack Derek after his release from prison and beating of the white supremacist leader? Did his mother have to be sick? Couldn't we have seen a little more struggle from Danny trying to ditch his extremist ways other than just crying on his brother's shoulder? Did we really need to see another prison rape scene?
Despite a mixed bag of problematic moments and inspired genuis, American History X is worth your time if for no other reason than to check out Norton and Furlong's taut performances. Norton never looked so menacing, nor showed such a proclivity toward evil doing. Avery Brooks, Fairuza Balk, and a surprisingly effective Beverly D'Angelo also turned in some nice (if uneven) performances.
It's unfortunate that Kaye feels like he was unable to complete American History X. Much of the film feels great but there are moments of stumbling about. Perhaps Kaye would've fixed those. Or, maybe not. In any case, the ultimate message is diluted because of the inconsistencies. This is one of those tricky flicks you'll either love or hate and that is part of its charm.