American History X

A shockingly powerful screed against racism that also manages to be so well performed and directed that it is entertaining as well. [30 October 1998, Friday, p.A]

Despite a cheap, Hollywood ending and despite Kaye's kooky campaign, X is a killer.

A series of well-drawn sketches and powerful scenes, in search of an organizing principle.

Norton's performance, which is every bit as varied as his Oscar-nominated work in Primal Fear, once more demonstrates that he's one of the most remarkable chameleons working in film.

This material is charged enough without piling on the melodrama and the lip-smacking violence. The movie too often sacrifices reportage for razzle-dazzle.

As a visit to a world and a way of life most of us will never experience, American History X is vivid, and it feels honest. At the very least, it's not typical.

A mess of a film.

Insanely Great American History X is powerfully directed, Shows the horrors of ****, Amazing performances from Norton and Furlong, and a terrific script.

Really loved the message and performance by Norton, but I feel like there's something missing in the script which makes it too simple. Even though I can't explain myself how the critics give it such a low rating

I loved this movie as a teenager. Rewatching it today I completely understand why it rates in the 60s. It's still enjoyable to watch and Ed Norton is great, but it's terribly overwrought in parts and unintentionally hilarious in others. The basketball scene is pure comedy!

A sick-minded film for its sick-minded audience. A couple of the scenes in this film are beyond what cinema should be. But that's probably why so many sick-minded people like it.

What we have here is a message picture determined to undo itself, with simple ideas (see: I think racism is a tad more complicated than Norton and his black friend) needlessly histrionic dialogue (see: interactions with family), and manipulating moments of over-drama with the force of a chainsaw rising out of a volcano (see: every scene in which racial atrocities are committed, which are all in black and white, slow-motion and have a choir singing the music of hell in the foreground).