The Physics of Hatred

Rating: 7/10 (10 November 2004)

This film, more than any other, is a treatise on hatred; its' laws, dynamics and consequences. What's insidious is that hatred often begins with some rational arguments, which are masterfully presented in the movie. But those arguments are not so much intended to persuade, as to tap into deep human instincts of self preservation. Those fears trigger anger, and rational thought becomes distorted.
A powerful metaphor for the entire film occurs in the brief scene where Daniel begins his "American History X" essay. He types in the line "Analyze and interpret". As the line repeats down the page it mutates and becomes increasingly incoherent, then abruptly rematerializes in a reconstituted form that looks similar to the starting point, but is in fact vulgar. This progression foreshadows the rest of the movie, on several levels.
The movie demonstrates that any group based on hatred, whether neo-Nazis, gangs or terrorists, leads only to the ultimate ruin of its' members.