Review of American History X (1998) by Gavin A — 13 Mar 2018

While scrolling through IMDb, I stumbled across American History X. Intrigued by the plot summary, I decided to watch the movie with high expectations. Those high expectations were shattered with the incredible acting, heart wrenching, and soul churning scenes that unfold. This movie is extraordinary in every aspect. I enjoyed every aspect of the movie and would watch it again. The ending takes a stab into the viewers emotions, showing us the untimely death of our would-be protagonist. The scene only worsens when Derek rushes to the school and finds his younger brother lying dead in the urinal. The screams, shrieks, and cries from Derek nearly brought me to tears. The journey he had undergone, though revolutionary, was not enough to save his younger brother from the fate that was already sealed from following in his path of being a Neo-Nazi.

The journey that is shown throughout the movie, switching from black and white to color, beautifully shows the outlook on life which Derek abides by, separating those who are not White Protestants from anyone else. The color change is extraordinary to convey his character transformation.

The ending, as stated before, is one of the best scenes in the movie, pulling at the heart strings of the reader. Danny's fate is sealed once he blows the puff of smoke into the face of the African American student. This fate was carried out by Danny by worshiping the actions and ideology in which his older brother, Derek, dominated.

The opening scene of the car robbery set the mood for the rest of the movie, not pulling back any punches when it came to brutality. The opening scene, however, also showed the contempt that Danny has for the final actions of Derek. Derek's murder of two African American men attempting to break into his car changed Danny forever. This change, however, is suppressed by Danny in order to be more like his brother. When Danny discovers the massive change in Derek, his frustration is let out by pushing him against a garage many times. This anger seems to be coming from the confusion Danny now faces on whether to follow his brother again or stick to what he made himself believe.

All in all, this is an amazing movie and I would recommend this to any friend.