American History X

Year: 1998 Rating: R Overall Evaluation: 9.5 Significance Suppositions Story Style 10.0 / 10 10.0 / 10 9.0 / 10 8.0 / 10 Click HERE for evaluation criteria.

Style

This film is rated R for a reason. Several actually, including graphic brutal violence (one homosexual rape scene), pervasive language (according to one source the word "f**k" appears 205 times), sex and nudity. So why did I give it an 8.0? Well, considering the story (and with the exception of the opening bedroom scene) I would not consider any of this inappropriate. The scene mentioned above is totally unnecessary to the plot (except maybe to illustrate how angry the two characters are) and so the breast shot and the rather vocal sex are rather gratuitous. While it is true that some of the other scenes (such as the prison rape) could have been left to the imagination I think that a lot of the film's considerable power would have been lost.

Story

This is the story of the head of neo-nazi skinhead gang who murders a gang banger and goes to prison only to find loyal (and needed) friendship in a black man who saves him from almost certain death. He gets out and seeks to turn his brother away from the skinhead movement before it is too late. The story rocks. It is strong because it does not simply paint either side as idiots like many anti-racist films do. There are plausible reasons for the hero's racism and it is easy to see how he was led down the path to murder. At the same time it is made abundantly clear that racism is ultimately foolish and self destructive - especially if taken to its logical conclusion.

Suppositions

No suspension of belief required here - this is a very true-to-life film. I've seen some whining over details on other review sites that all seem pretty petty to me. Some have commented that the friendship in prison was not believable - that the hero would have not become anti-racist simply based on one person's actions. That is certainly possible - but he is also shown as being rather open minded prior to his father's death, and easily malleable. Once the stereotypes on both sides were torn down (by a black friend and a skinhead enemy) and he saw the reality of the situation he came to the correct conclusion.

Significance

The theme is obviously anti-racist which is excellent of course. One thing I am glad to see for once is that racism is not overcome in this film by becoming "proud of one's race" (i.e. more racism), nor is either race held up as particularly noble or without fault in the issue. People need to be judged by their actions - prejudicial hatred is wrong regardless of its basis, pure and simple.