there is nothing like american history x in theaters or on video .
no other feature film takes such a cold hard look at the lure , the culture , and the brotherhood of white supremacy .
nice guy ed norton jr .
( who sang in everyone says i love you )
plays derek , a twenty - year old skinhead .
dad 's subtle racism grew large in derek , after gang members killed his father .
dad was fighting a fire when they shot him .
now derek keeps his head shaved and has a giant swastika tattooed over his heart .
derek is more interested in the ideas of white supremacy than in its culture of violence .
at a basketball court , black and white tempers flare .
derek channels the aggression into a game , black versus white , for ownership of the courts .
when the choice presents itself , derek goes for game point instead of the sucker - punch .
cameron ( stacy keach ) steps in to derek 's life as a surrogate father .
he takes derek under his wing and nurtures his racist feelings .
keeping his own criminal record spotless , he uses derek as a leader and organizer for high - visibility racial intimidation .
derek obliges by leading his younger and dumber friends in race - motivated mob crimes .
at the bottom of the chain , derek 's younger brother danny ( edward furlong , made famous in terminator 2 ) joins the skinheads not for ideological or intellectual reasons , but because he admires his brother and he wants to belong .
one night three black youths break into derek 's truck , which is exactly what derek has been waiting for .
outside in his shorts and his tattoo , he shoots them all .
the third would - be thief , unarmed , is only wounded .
in the key scene of the film , derek commands the kid into a position where he can be killed with one glorious , enraptured , awful stomp .
( the fun - spoiling nc-17 of orgazmo seems even more inappropriate , considering american history x was rated r .
what sort of country is this that says sex comedies are a bigger threat to our youth than brutal , ecstatic violence ? )
the police arrive just as derek kills the last thief .
derek does not resist the cops , and as they spin him around to cuff him , the film slows down .
derek raises his eyebrows and smiles at his little brother in a chilling , sadistic , satisfied grin .
now in prison , derek faces new challenges .
as the black man in the laundry tells him , " in the joint , you the nigra , not me .
"
there is a clique of swastika - wearing skinheads , but they are not interested in the ideology of white supremacy .
they only use the symbols as a means of intimidation .
derek finds himself truly alone , truly in danger , and truly afraid .
when derek finally gets out of prison , he finds that his friends from the gang have also changed .
without derek 's leadership , they have shunned the white supremacist ideology for the white supremacist culture .
it is the final factor that makes him realize how badly he 's screwed up .
in the end , he spends quality time with is brother trying to undo the respect and admiration he had earlier inspired in danny .
the film ends a little too deliberately , too neatly after the unchained emotion and violent glee of the rest of the film , but it barely detracts from the overall experience .
edward norton gives an oscar - worthy performance .
although some of his dialogue seemed to be written without enough conviction , norton 's performance compensated .
( an example that comes to mind is his pep talk before looting the store . )
he also captured the essence of an older brother .
he took his responsibility as a role model to his younger brother very seriously , very lovingly , both before and after his change of heart .
though clearly not for all tastes , this film is bold and daring .
the subject matter is ugly , cruel , and at times hard to look at .
nevertheless its subjects are part of humanity 's great face .
kaye gives us a good look at this fascinating , if distasteful , american subculture .
gives an oscar - worthy performance gives us a good look this film is bold and daring