The Highly Appreciated Powerful Performance of American History X - Essay Example

Reviews of American History X The central focus of American History X is that on the journey of two brothers from Los Angeles who become an active part of a neo-Nazi skinhead gang. It goes to show how the older brother Derek, played by Edward Norton, becomes the leader of the skinhead pack by shadowing an adult neo-Nazi and acting as his lieutenant. One night Derek in his attempt to stop two black kids from stealing his car, due to a playground feud, ends up shooting them. It was then that he is convicted of murder and jailed for three years. The younger bother Danny, played by Edward Furlong, aspires to follow in his brothers footsteps. He lacks Derek’s intelligence and talent for rabble-rousing rhetoric but shares his xenophobia and racist notions. Derek befriends a black inmate, during his three year sentence, and is transformed into a new man, one that decides to free himself from his former life and find a new direction for his brother. Highlighting the theme of racism, depicting brutal violence and adopting impressive cinematography, critics such as Maslin from The New York Times, Roger from ebert.com and Mccarthy from variety, despite their divergent reactions, agree on the one notion; that American History X is an absolute unique portrayal of racism, in the way it portrays the concept from a white man’s point of view. The use of violence that is consistently represented by American History X, from the simply decorated Derek’s room, with its pictures of Nazi’s and paraphernalia, to the series of ever-escalating physical violence that the movie is inculcated in. Mccarthy outlines this dominant depiction of the storyline with the use of raw brutality, that can be accurately summed up in three scenes from the movie; The raid that Derek leads on the raid that takes place on the Korean-owned grocery stores; the verbal as well as physical attack on his mother, while kicking her Jewish boyfriend, Elliott Gould. And lastly the bone chilling horror displayed in the scene in which Derek finishes off the black kid, who had simply been wounded. Maslin’s response to the violence depicted which he observes Derek commits “with horrifying gusto”. His take suggests the raw virility of Derek’s character is such that milks a certain kind of violent furiously and heats things up simply by viewing Derek in a sexual tryst right before the violence initiates. However the focus of the film overflows with the ‘tacitly homoerotic violent energy’ of the skinhead bullies. Roger, on the other hand focuses on the hostile tribalism being an epidemic angle of the movie. He denotes the rapidly spreading race hatred of the skinheads being largely due to the stringent culture of the local ethnic group. Cinematography, another key element of American History X, plays a vital role in its effective execution and hence formulates the basis of divergent critic responses. Mccarthy views Kaye’s registration of scenes from the movie as tremendously powerful, with a ‘certain fierce beauty’. The cinematography that is so artfully executed focuses on dramatic action as well as illustrates a ‘potent visceral effect’. According to Mccarthy it also rarely strays or overstates the case that the director is trying to present. Maslin, although believes that the story line was over simplified in the way it was reduced to a mere outline, seen in the way there is no detailed emphasis on the transformation that Derek undergoes in prison. That being said it is directed with an impressive combination of ‘handsome photo-realism’, as well as ‘visceral punch’, which effectively compliments the fiery acting to make its impact felt. Roger’s critique builds on the argument put up by Maslin, in the way there are several weaknesses as far as the cinematography and direction of the film are concerned. Although it is undeniable that “American History X” is a well made film, however Robert formulates that opinion simply on the bases of the strength of performances by the actors. It lacked the brilliant cinematography a director like Oliver Stone or Spike Lee might’ve inculcated in it’s making; this opinion he rationalizes due to the structure of the film being to apparent, and the way some key scenes are rushed, Derek’s prison experience for instance. Racism, the theme around which the storyline is formulated, is a key contributing element which is so grippingly and intensely portrayed by the characters that it pushes the viewers into a thought provoking evaluation of the concept. It shows the destructive nature of such a negatively gripping hatred for others that the characters themselves are also unable to find any kind of solace in their daily activities. A idolatrous brother, a consistently sick mother with a sever smoking addiction, and two sisters. Mccarthy appreciates this intense depiction of racism through the film and its attempt at taking on such an ugly political reality and spinning it into a substantial raison d’etre commendable. Maslin’s appreciation for the effective portrayal of the theme of racism, extend to the way in which the gripping events are vested and amplified by the forceful, persuasive and authoritative intellect that Derek possesses. He compares the leadership ability of Derek with that of Hitler’s in the way he motivates hooligans by instilling in them a sense of purpose, legitimizing their actions through a political agenda. Racism, caught by its roots and origin, is what causes the movie to hit home, according to Maslin. Roger analyzes how the film adapts to a language of racism by categorizing its depiction of the concept into two categories: “the gutter variety” and “more sophisticated variations”. Racism balanced against the concept of “Do the Right Thing” is what makes the portrayal interesting, compelling and more provocative than most American films that aim to grasp at this concept. Based on these reviews and the film’s ability to address such a relevant topic and the highly appreciated powerful performance given by the actors I would definitely watch the “American History X”. Not simply because Edward Norton happens to be one of my favorite actors, but also because the implications of addressing an issue such as racism, are vast and intricate, hence making the film worthy of at least one time viewing. Works cited Maslin, Janet. American History X (1998) FILM REVIEW; The Darkest Chambers of a Nations Soul. The New York Times. 28th October 1998. Web. 7th Dec, 2011. Roger, Ebert. Movie reviews : American History X. The Chicago Sun times. 30th October 1998. Web. 7th Dec, 2011. Mccarthy, Todd. Drama: American History X. Film reviews. Variety. 21st October 1998. 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