Reformation

Rating: Null/10 (6 November 2002)

American History X is ultimately a story about reformation and wisdom. The film is told in the present and in the past, which is uniquely shown in black and white, possibly suggesting it should be forgotten. Danny (Ed Furlong) hears three black guys outside trying to hijack Derek (Edward Norton)'s car. Danny alerts Derek to what is happening, the first thing you notice is the swatztika on Derek's chest, immediately making the connection between that and the black guys, quickly thinking to yourself this will be a bloodbath, this is straight out spoken when Derek picks up his gun and marches out the door vigoriously. Danny quickly shoots one of the guys dead at point blank, wounds another, and shoot the driver. Derek then goes over to the man he shot on the street and commits one of the harshest and shocking punishments ever been shown on cinema, some might want to look away during this part.
American History X tells the past story of Derek's prison time, and how he painfully changed from a black-hearted racist to a kind and caring brother. The transformation process is not only extremely interesting but very surreal too. Parrallel to that story is Danny, who has been taken in by Derek's old mentor Cameron (Stacy Keach), and leader of a neo-nazi group who commits acts of vandalism and cruelty to minority groups in order to reclaim a small part of Los Angelas for the white people. Soon in the movie it's revealed that Derek is being released from prison today, the family and especially Danny await his arrival, expecting the old Derek, not the new reformed one. Derek quickly intervines with Danny's life, showing him how is exactly going down the road Derek went, and ultimately to death or jail time.
Once the two worlds meet, conflicts start heating up for Danny by means of black kids at school having a grudge against him as a racist, and for Derek who confronts Cameron and his old group the D.O.C telling them that he is out. With the D.O.C enraged at him, Derek knows his life is in danger, also along with that, the friends of the slain black kids outside Derek's house three years ago also seek revenge in whatever ways they can obtain it.