"Mixed Messages"
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What You Need To Know:
It is really quite regrettable that the creators behind AMERICAN HISTORY X felt the need to push the envelope open so far when it comes to the depiction of violence, foul language, sex, and nudity. It is regrettable because this movie has a positive, anti-racist message to tell, and it tells it in an extraordinarily moving, heartbreaking way. That message is given brilliant life by all the actors in this movie, but they cannot overcome the constant abusive foul language, the sickening violence and the graphic sexual content. More restraint would have made AMERICAN HISTORY X a must-see movie
Content:
(Ro, BB, LLL, VVV, SSS, NNN, AAA, D, HoHoHo, M) Romantic worldview of racial hatred with moderately strong moral content that is almost biblical in its depiction of the ravages of hate, plus moderately strong morally redemptive elements; graphic violence including racist skinhead shoots black burglars & brutally murders a third, skinheads trash Korean grocery store that hires illegal aliens from Latin America, skinhead pulls sister’s hair in violent disagreement at dinner table, homosexual rape in prison shower, fight in restroom, teenager shoots other teenager in bloody scene, & fisticuffs & gunplay at party; one scene of depicted fornication & one strong, partially depicted homosexual rape scene; upper male & female nudity & lower male nudity when prison inmates take shower; alcohol use & abuse; use of marijuana & drugs rebuked; strong homosexual rape scene; and, students display rebellious attitudes, older man recruits youngsters for racist violence but does not take part so that he can avoid prison & the movie brings up some other contemporary political issues but does not resolve them.
More Detail:
AMERICAN HISTORY X is one of the most controversial movies of the year. An uncompromising attack on racial hatred, especially among white skinhead racists, this movie would be one of the most morally uplifting movies of the year were it not for its extremely graphic scenes of foul language, sexual immorality and violence. Interspersed among these scenes, which are some of the strongest such scenes in any movie this year, is a moving, heartbreaking story of repentance, forgiveness and tragedy.
Basically, the story of the movie centers on a Nazi skinhead named Derek. Derek repents of his evil ways in prison, gets out of prison a reformed man and tries to save his beloved brother Daniel from the clutches of the white skinhead racists in Venice Beach, Calif. In black-and-white flashbacks, the audience discovers how Derek got to prison and what happened there to reform him. Included in those parts of the movie are a sickening, brutal murder scene, a vicious attack on a foreign-owned grocery store and a disturbing homosexual rape scene in prison. Daniel at first can’t figure his brother out and resists Daniel’s attempts to save him from the violent life of the other skinheads. Circumstances cause Daniel to begin to change until the movie’s shocking, violent ending.
It is really quite regrettable that the creators behind AMERICAN HISTORY X felt the need to push the envelope open so far when it comes to the depiction of violence, foul language, sex, and nudity. It is regrettable because this movie has a positive, anti-racist message to tell, and it tells it in an extraordinarily moving way. That message is given brilliant life by all the actors in this movie, especially Edward Norton as Derek, Edward Furlong as Daniel, and Avery Brooks as a teacher who also tries to help Daniel and knows about Derek’s reform. The fate of these characters is quite engrossing.
The extreme violence, sex, obscenities, and nudity in the movie are much too strong, however. They will send the opposite message to impressionable minds. Also, why would you include such graphic content in such a movie if you want people all across America to be affected by its message?
Thus, more restraint would have made AMERICAN HISTORY X one of the must-see events of the year for mature audiences. As it is, moral audiences will have to be more than extremely cautious if they want to see this movie. Some may also be offended by the way the skinheads use the immigration issue, a legitimate political topic open for debate. The movie doesn’t resolve the issue one way or another. That and other issues only briefly, if hotly, discussed leave the movie’s general political viewpoint rather murky, and perhaps vaguely left-wing.
Finally, the movie seems to think that people are essentially good inside, but that society corrupts them. This is a romantic worldview that contradicts the biblical doctrine of the sinful nature of man. It is doubtful, however, if the filmmakers have actually thought deeply about the terrible implications behind their movie’s worldview.
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