Brutal and brilliant

Rating: 10/10 (22 May 1999)

I've seen 8mm and Saving Private Ryan, 2 movies designed to shock or disturb you. I survived them pretty well. But American History X blew me away. Powerful scenes are abundant in this movie. There is one scene that I will remember forever (if you've seen it, you'll know which one it was). The scenes could have still been fairly powerful with average actors, but the entire cast was exemplary. Edward Norton's acting was perfect, as was Ed Furlong's. Beverly DeAngelo was surprisingly good; a quantum leap from her other movies. American History X is a very strong movie. It rams home its point much like Saving Private Ryan did. In SPR, you understood fully why war was stupid. In AHX, you understood exactly why racism and nazism are stupid. Definitely one of my all-time favourites.