![]() From the very first scene, we know he's destined to be like his brother, as he emphasizes the color of the carjacker before he even mentions what the criminal is doing. He's impressionable, and as such, should be more a representation of those he looks up to, like a blind follower, rather than a powerful speaker, so it's hard to fault his performance. Not even the worst performance in Fairuza Balk's career can take away from the power that is Edward Norton when he's in top form.įurlong is an interesting cat, as he doesn't quite have the range, talent, or convincing physical capabilities (you know, facial expressions) as Norton, but for playing the part of a high school student, we can't expect an extraordinarily deep kid. The character genuinely believes what he preaches, and its the conviction behind it that can be truly scary. The hatred burning in his eyes, it's so believable, you can't help but be a bit intimidated by this monster of a man. Imagine being forever known as the guy with the humongous swastika on your chest, who kills black guys, and attacks his own family.not much of a market for that in film if you get typecast. He becomes a figurehead for the hate group, and soon leads some violent assaults, before his rage leads him to murder.Įdward Norton is brilliant as Derek, as the character truly is multi-faceted, and one of the most daring roles in recent film memory. alongside white pride mouthpiece Cameron Alexander (Stacy Keach). In the past, though, we see a man possessed, a true embodiment of unbridled hatred, against those he has been conditioned against, as he creates the D.O.C. Danny is always shown looking up to Derek, sometimes even literally, as his brother is truly his hero in life. He has to juggle a family he lost, who were left to suffer, losing their home, who have him to blame for the path his brother took. In the present, we see a man repenting for his actions, having learned the error of his ways, suffering as his headstrong brother is doomed to repeat history. The film is beautifully crafted, alternating between the "present" time in color, and the past, told in black and white. Those who can stick with 'X,' though, will get quite a history lesson. ![]() There are constant swastikas on display, and very strong statements and actions by hate groups that will definitely turn off some audiences. It's graphic, intense and brutal, and in the end, almost unforgiving, as it creates realistic characters who are the end result of their life experiences. It's also not a film that panders to racist audiences of any kind. 'American History X' is not a film for the faint of heart. Freshly released from prison, it's up to a reformed Derek to show his brother that hate is not the way to go through life, before it's too late. In Derek's absence, his younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong), who looked up to Danny after his father died, is following in the same dangerous footsteps, and is possibly heading for the same conclusion. But his hate lands him in prison for manslaughter after he catches a trio of black men trying to jack one of the cars he inherited from his dad. ![]() A son who lost his father, who has become a natural leader. Shaved head, swastika and iron cross tattoos, a mastery of rhetoric and propaganda, you name it. ![]() If they're doing it, why can't we?Īs such, the tagline for 'American History X' does its best to paraphrase the film, with the cryptic statement that "some legacies must die." While that's all well and good, this is one film that cannot possibly be summed up with any combination of four words.ĭerek Vinyard (Edward Norton, in an Academy Award nominated role) is the poster-child for white supremacist gangs. Still, there are times when the wrong things are passed on. This is why having a strong male influence is important in the development of a child, not only for a sense of security, but for the lessons that mothers cannot teach. We're exposed to their interests, and can even take on bits of their personality, based on their actions and reactions. There's an old saying (with biblical links) concerning "the sins of the father," a phrase that, despite numerous different endings, basically relates to the premise that we are conditioned by what learn from our father figures, good and bad. ![]()
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