Hell is on earth and it is a double bigot system of hatred and vengeance

Rating: 10/10 (4 April 2010)

A film that is supposed to be cultish and to be anti-racist. It is true there are some interesting scenes in the first four fifths of the film. But the last part, after the nocturnal confrontation of the two brothers around what happened to Derek in prison goes its own way and leads to a message that is absolute despair. "What have I done?" says Derek on the dead body of his brother. He has in fact done nothing at all but exploited a manipulative situation that was rotten from the start and made him the victim of bigotry. But Derek was redeemed in prison. His brother was redeemed by Derek's tale of what happened to him in prison and by the black principal of the school. The two white boys were redeemed. But the black boy was not, could not be and he killed and was unerasably and permanently sprayed with the blood of his prey and the final vision of a completely red Pacific Ocean of forever waxing and waning blood leads to a meaning of fatality that will never end. Racism is forever because the black victims of white racism will never be redeemed and will never forgive. And why should they? The an eye for an eye law of this society is forever and the film suggests no way out from that eternal vengeful apocalyptic vision, not even an escape.
Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne, University Paris 8 Saint Denis, University Paris 12 Créteil, CEGID