Emotional Manipulation at it's finest

Rating: 9/10 (21 May 2015)

American History X – Emotional Manipulation at its finest
Films are made with the intention to entertain, to document and to tell a story, but the ones that stand out from the crowd are those that dictate audience emotions; something Tony Kaye has mastered in American History X. Of course, this film isn't for everyone and it's this emotional manipulation that is perhaps the reason why as viewers may not take a submissive stance and refuse to allow themselves to be controlled this way but for me, Kaye's unconventional take on emotional response makes AHX one of the best films of its generation.
The narrative and stylistic techniques used by Kaye, McKenna and crew create such incredible levels of realism throughout a film where the majority of viewers will not be able to relate but alas this doesn't matter to us, we still feel just as connected, or disconnected in certain ways, to the characters and events, specifically the brothers Danny and Derek. On the surface, two 'despicable' human beings with little to no positive attributes but Kaye blurs the lines between hero and villain magnificently with Derek's redemption story and his little brother's longing for guidance. The inner battle that we see Derek, and eventually Danny, go through, makes their transformations even more spectacular. Kaye's ability to produce this emotion is what makes the film so powerful and no scene displays this as much as the basketball scene.
Without spoiling the film, the scene basically portrays Derek and his gang taking on another group, race vs race, in a game of basketball. Now if Kaye were to take away all the abusive and racist dialogue from both camps, as well as the prominent symbolism of the swastika, the audience would be forgiven for thinking this was just another underdog sports movie: the protagonist manages to win against all odds even despite the opposition cheating. It's Kaye's magnificent use of both the dialogue and the symbolism that make this such a chilling and powerful scene. Almost everything about this sequence makes us want to cheer for Derek with the camera work focusing significantly on his team and emotional crescendos popping up every time Derek scores a basket, courtesy of Anne Dudley who makes the whole film ripe with tension. The manipulation is so perfect, we become dragged along with their triumphant victory and we come to ask ourselves who the real villains are in the scene. We're brought right back down to earth, feeling completely ashamed that we essentially cheered on such despicable characters, however, by the symbolism of the swastika on Derek's chest and the vile dialogue. It's this technique that Kaye uses to cement this inner conflict within the audience, often switching from scenes of moral progression to flashbacks of Derek in his heyday.
Pulling away from that scene and to the whole film in general, the overall emotional response that it creates within audiences is something which I've rarely, if ever, experienced watching a film. Edward Norton gives what might just be the best performance of his career providing such raw emotion with simple glazes into the camera and his co-star Edward Furlong portrays the younger brother looking for a path to follow perfectly. The cinematography gives some of the greatest shots seen in modern cinema, with Kaye also not afraid to make use of obvious tropes such as slow-mo and chilling sound to create tension. Still, these work magnificently throughout the film, creating memorable moment after memorable moment, none perhaps more memorable than the infamous 'curb stomp' which was done to perfection.
Of course, with the subject matter it has, the film has attracted some controversy, with viewers suggesting Derek's redemption was accepted too easily and portrays an unrealistically swift realisation amongst both brothers, but for me, that's what makes this film great. Not only is it a powerful character study but it also puts across a strong message. Kaye is brutal and unbiased in the film as all races are 'thrown to the dogs' so to speak. Unfortunately, there are still so many children like Danny being moulded by their environments in the wrong way and whilst progress is still being made, it isn't happening fast enough.