Review of American History X (1998) by Meritcoba — 24 Jul 2016

American history X has a comic book quality with its iconic picture of Edward Norton(playing Derek Vinyard) topless with a shaved head, circle beard and a swastika prominent on his chest.

He looks like a meanie.

And he is.

For the opening scene of the movie has him massacring a group of black Americans(can I write Negroes?) single handed.

He is smart kid, we are told by Bob Sweeney, a black teacher who doesn't want to give up on the smart kids.

Sweeney is wrong, of course.

'Smart 'doesn't describe it: the white dude is positively gifted.

That is why he has that swastika on his chest.

And can go Rambo on them gangsters.

And shame them Negros by whipping their asses on their own turf: basketball.

And is best in his class, reading Native Son.

Stuff his dad disapproves of.

It is negro shyte, dad tells son Derek.

Yeah dad, he says even though he sounds somewhat unconvinced.

Cause dad is right.

And likely racist.

Cause some black dudes got the jobs meant for the 'better' white men.

But it all went to shyte when dad, a fireman, got killed by them brothers.

So Norton shaves his head, grows a beard, tattoos his body, hangs up Nazi stuff in his room, and becomes a violent white power supremacist.

Cause that is how it works.

And it works the other way too..

Meet a good black man in jail that saves your butt: anti-violent, equal rights-for-all supporter.

Flip switch one way: violent white racist bloke. Flip switch other way: negro loving correct dude.

Jew hating fascist - liberal cheery guy.

Gay bashing hater - tolerant respectful LGBT man.

Racist redneck Klansman - multicultural equality hero.

What was that again: false dichotomy?

The tossed up eye candy - using things like black and white shots- can not hide that underneath all the visuals and emotionally laden scenes, well played as they are - Norton is marvelous - there is shockingly superficial story indeed.

For what is American History X but the glib tale of white guy who goes bad for wrong reasons, repents and tries to redeem himself by rejecting his white supremacist past with a gesture that makes it look like it is as easy as taking of your coat? You just need to meet a good black man to see that black men can be good. As if the racists glasses come off that easily. As if racism is just being pissed at black men because a black man killed your father.

But wait. In the end? Will Derek don that white supremacist coat again?

The switch trembles.

Bottom line.

The cast is great, the cinematography well done, but the movie sucks. Like biting in a burger to find out that the dog stole the meat. (It was the cat, of course. Cause them are smart buggers and frame the dogs.).

Note: do not to forget to shave your head once you become a white supremacist. It is a thing. As a man of course: women stock up on combat boots, piercings and short hairstyles. And tattoos for all. At least there is some equality there.