American Neo-Nazi gets a wake-up call

Rating: 8/10 (7 November 2001)

Edward Norton plays Derek Vinyard, a violent but also intelligent neo-nazi. After brutally killing two black people who tried to break into his car, Derek is sent down for a couple of years. Meanwhile, his younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong) is busy following in his brother's footsteps. After certain incidents in prison gives him time to thing, Derek decides to reform on his way out. Once out, he realises how quickly in number his old gang of nazi thugs has grown and wonders if he can save his brother.
This is a brilliant film. Perhaps what disturbs me the most is the way that Edward Norton looks so brutal, yet sounds so intellectual throughout the film.
Although the film contains a constant strong theme of violence, it is always justified in portraying a picture of racial tension. Neither black nor white people are "judged" in the film, it's primary focus being to outline that it's people's brutality that causes a racial divide, not race itself.