A mess of a film that attempts some kind of message but fails dismally. Just like "The Green Mile" and "Once Were Warriors" before it, the film tries so hard to get a reaction from the audience that it ends up feeling forced and exhausting.

One of the most powerful films anyone should and must watch. Edward Norton excels all boundaries of acting In American History X. For a moment it just feels too real and you forget he's acting. He lands a remarkable, touching, and true character, struggling to fight for the errors committed in the past.

Awesome movie, brutally true portal of what racism can do to a person and how it affects those around. Edward norton is the man, he makes great movies and this being one of his earlier movies is a MUST SEE!! I bought the movie before seeing it and am glad I did, watched it twice in a row and will watch it again and again. GREAT MOVIE!! This movie does have some pretty brutal attacks, but then thats life.… Expand

Movie was great but the tragec ending took away alittle.

Single greatest movie of all time, in my eyes.

Great movie, but the violent act that sends the main character to prison is the cruelest, most animalistic thing I've ever seen on film.

Edwar Nortons shocking and underated preformance is one of the best of the nineties.

The basketball scene was horrible. Were we expected to stand up and cheer "Go white racists, go!"? I think this movie really failed to address what lies beneath these subgroups. Not every one of those hundreds of kids had a fireman-dad-get-shot-by-crackguy story - how did they get caught up in this B.S.? The movie doesn't say. There are a lot of strong performances but a lot of stuff that just doesn't add up.… Expand

Some of the best acting I have ever seen.

The most powerful movie I have ever seen. Its truly is a wonderful film. And the outstanding acting by Edward Norton! Loved it!

Very good. and informative.

This movie is very powerful and shows what really goes on in some places of this cruel world we live in that is full of hate and disgrace. Norton is an amazing actor, as always, in this film and makes you believe and feel sympathy for his racist, but found and reassured character.

Powerful.

One dumbass film saved by it's brilliant ending.

This movie pisses you off, makes you cry, and think about "What you have done to make your life better."

Great racial movie teaches you about society and life how portrays society.

I like it loud and good.

Very good film excellent acting, top marks.

I just recently saw this film after hearing all the raves about it from freinds at school....it was awesome...i love it...i bought it before i saw it and it was a risk to do so...but now i am glad i did....if you haven't seen it you need to...good to watch and a lesson to be learned!!!

This movie shows everyhitng that people need to know about skinheads...Sttuff you think is not out there.

Great movie mate.

Way too good of a movie for the critics to come up with a 62 rating. Well acted. I think it gave a realistic insight to why some people believe what they believe. I don't think anybody would argue that racism is ugly and terrible. I compare this movie to "Crash" as far as attempting to show small unseen factors that effect people.

One of the most brilliant films of a generation.

A film well done. A must seen!

It?s an excellent movie about racial problem and reality which makes you think about the society we live in. The racism subject is well developed. It really makes you think twice before discriminating against others for reasons such as race and religion? I think all of us need to see this movie for the reflexion at the end. The acting is absolutely amazing.

The movie was almost perfect. The acting was some of the best I've ever seen, and made the point so clear you could see it even if you are deaf, blind, and dumb. The only real problem was the transformation scene. It didn't detail enough of his change in character.

Great movie. Very good acting by Edward Norton. Shocking scene of killing the robber.

I have seen this Movie and I live it, I have writte a essay about this Movie, for my English Lesson!

Edward Norton is so fine.

Personally, i cant decide whether capitalism and the thinking of norton is a bad thing. It worked for hitler and sadam but look where it got them. There isnt any proper racism, just random violence against people apparently ruining society.

Hopefully one day Tony Kaye will realize that he's made one of the most powerful films ever made dealing with racism, and one of the few that has the courage to follow through with it's points.

It's almost brilliant. Almost. Certainly it's a stunning evocationcondemnation of this right-wing everyone-hating mindset. And the acting is superb: Ed Norton, Stacy Keach, John Connor, Avery Brooks and so on are all incredibly impressive. Oh, and the direction is pretty damn good, as you would sort-of expect from Kaye having seen his previous work - any British people who've seen any of advert-nostalgia programmes: the chap who did the Intercity "Relax" adverts in '89, and the Dunlop S&M "Tested For The Unexpected" one in '95, the bald-headed tit with about ten billion facial piercings: that was Tony Kaye, that was. So why is it only "almost" brilliant? Well, it doesn't quite hold up as a piece of drama is the thing. A few too many convieniences. The plot is second to the social commentary, but it could have gone hand in hand. Still, though, if it's not brilliant, it is at least pretty damn great. Can't say fairer than that.… Expand

Its a good movie, and tells of the real stories of racism. and how people deal with it in real life.

10+, stupid professional critics.

You know what i like about this movie is how much sense it makes. How honest it is. No apologies in the whole thing. Just honesty. the characters are believable and true to life. The ed's work together masterfully. Think they could have done better on the school principal though. I do own this movie and recommend you run out and buy it too.

Moving between iconography and iconoclasm, this cautionary and frightening tale of Neo-Nazi skinheads also functions as a critique of failure of American society as a whole. The film shows us a world where people are antogonized into hostile groups, where hopes of friendship and rapproachment can only be effected on individual level; where even that hard earned peace is always under threat by tribalism and endless crossfire of violence. Edward Norton's performance is remarkable for going beyond the stereotype, for drawing out the agonized and embittered individual beneath the mask of ideology. Great performances throughout. Directing is magnficent and brilliantly ironic in use of images that at are once powerful/liberating and diabolical/imprisoning. … Expand

This film was well done and had great acting in it. The main purpose of this film, as any one could tell, was to show some of societies problems and make a point about them. The movie had good thought provoking dialogue in it that was very intiguing to listen to. the use of black and white film contrasted against the color film was ok but all it did was show what scene was a story being told or waht was happening in the present. There was not any new editing or filming style that the used and it really seemed like it could have been anyone that made it. The movie was very good and tantilizing but the director did not do anything that really left an impression as far as the filming was concerned.… Expand

This movie is the best movie ever put out i watched it 64 times now.

Great movie like it.

Superb directing and acting. Tony Kaye takes us on a dramatic journey that leaves us on the edge of our seat.

i thought this movie was very good,then ending of the movie had my heart racing it's an amazing movie with a good message and this movie just shows what happens to people all around the world every day that this stuff is really real and we should try to do more to become a better society and world.

I could say a lot more about this movei than I'm going to, simply because my fingers are all typed out;) I'm shocked at the low rating this film got- It's one of my favorites. Norton is a master, and Furlong just clinches it for me. Well written, well acted and well directed- this one speaks to all my longings as an avid movie-buff and cinema freak.

Superb film, very thought-provoking, Norton should have won an oscar.

Powerful stuff.....great performance by the lead character. Should have won Oscar.

Stunningly moving flim with an immense performance from edward norton, a crushing, moving ending after a movie ridden with thought provoking and captivating story lines and scenes.

One of the greatest movies ever made. Norton's performance was inspiring.

Unbelievable film. great acting performance by ed norton and genius directing by tony kaye, although he didn't feel he was able to make it exactly how he wanted it in the final editing. The movie gives a great message, and shows how some perfectly valid right wing ideas can go completely misconstrued.

Damn good movie.

This is a great movie with a powerful plot and great acting. The movie showed every aspect on how supremacy can affect someone and the people around them. The lesson here is that someone can turn around for the good but can sometimes pay with the ultimate consequence. The thing that I like the most about this movie is the honesty and the shocking truth that they display in Norton's character's life. The movie taught a valuable lesson and unlike a lot of movies that you see, neither the bad side nor the good side won. … Expand

Powerful look at race issues in America. Norton's is a destined to be remembered performance of great skill. Should be shown to all high school kids nationwide.

This movie was great. It came on HBO and I stayed up and watched it 3 times in a row.

A great film, the only movie I've cried during in...forever i think. The acting is amazing in it, very very emotional stuff. It is a pretty harsh film though, it doesn't sugar coat things, but that makes it that much more effective. If you find yourself feeling disgusted by it during the first hour stick with it the overall message is very informative and educational to all of us in the end. One of my favorite films. … Expand

Incredible. Like all great films with violent natures, the silent segments are just as chilling as the violence. It's also just as chilling to find yourself almost cheering for Norton during the basketball scene.

A 10 says it all.

A must view for troubled teens.

A flawed but engrossing film.

Brilliant. Edward Norton's role is one for the ages. A shame he was shafted at the Oscars.

This has to be the best movie I have ever seen. I've never been so emotional over a movie before.

Awesome display of the skinhead activity...harsh, but good reality.

This movie should be seen by everyone of all ages to understand how society works.

A great movie. I am from the New York City area, and this is just reality, I loved it. Great acting by Edward Norton as well.

one of the best movies ever. has great storytelling, and a powerful ending.

I enjoyed American History X because it dealt with racism well, maybe not as well as To Kill A Mockingbird but it does a fine job anyways. I saw American History X after watching many classics the previous week before. It stood out to me for some reason I feel that it was misunderstood by some critics. It is an underrated film. But as I watched it for the first time I realized that this film was a monument in movies. [***SPOILERS***] As the final seen rolled and you see Edward Norton crying over Edward Furlong, I thought it was the best movie I had ever seen. But as I moved on in the history of movies my knowledge grew and I realized that this film was superb but good never be the best film I have ever seen because i was young and had no knowledge of Kurosawa yet. As I watched it for the second time I felt it was old and not as gripping as the first time around. So was a great film? Yes, But is it a movie that should be considered the best ever? I do not think so.… Expand

This is one of the best movies around. It actually shows the real relationship between different races; it shows not only that white people are racist but other races are too. This movie is very informational, and expresses a good, true moral!

Superb.

The most powerful movie I have ever seen. Bar none. Norton solidifies himself as a movie god.

I came in not knowing what to expect, but I left knowing that I just watched one of the best movies ever, bound to be a classic this movie is a MUST SEE, Edward Norton's performance is so strong and believable it's hard to not call him one of todays best actors, bottom line, easy 10.

This is the best movie I never seen.

Quite possibly one of the best movies I have ever watched. Heart wrenching ending too. Fantastic in every sense of the word. A must see for everyone!

A shocking portrayal of the effects of hate and racism, this film is an absolute must-see. Not only is it a monolith of its genre, the message it conveys should be heard by all. Edward Norton never ceases to amaze when it come to sheer talent.

Its an amazing film. Solid acting by the cast and Edward Norton is amazing in it. The only downside of the film is that its rather graphic and can be off putting a bit.

It's not an impressing movie. It is nothing great or big in it. It is not any light or teaching as the movie is expecting to give. The Norton is a good actor. The american life style and habit is not something to great to see. And this movie is pretty much about it.

I've lost track of how many times I've seen this, but it still makes me tear up in the end, Norton really proves himself to be a powerhouse actor, his passion and raw emotion could scare anyone. One of better movies of 98

A good movie that had been better if not the forced, yet sometimes confusing message. Maybe if I watched it back in 1998 , I would appreciate it more, but its position in any kind of film rankings is misleading. The only thing I couldn`t forget was Edward Norton`s exceptional performance, and not only because others played roughly average roles. The story tries hard to establish the characters and the origin of racism but succeeds only in part. The viewer doesn`t get a full explanation, only bits of information that want him to think clearly : this is good, this is bad. We see a bunch of people changing their ways but we do not get the reasoning behind it. The main conclusion is not very clear and doesn`t find a strong material to it in the movie. The result is : you get the message this movie wants you to get, but mostly because it is literally given to you at the very end of it. You do not really understand why this particular message, because the story suggests something different. An excellent idea executed poorly with a bit of a genius play.… Expand

A truly powerful film, with a message that will stay with you long after the screen goes off, American History X is a force to be reckoned with. Edward Norton's performance stands out. It is a very believable and gripping performance. I love any movie that touches on 'touchy' subjects. In this case, it's racism. The thing with this topics in films is that they are very easy to mess up, or become cliche. Luckily, this movie wonderfully, and shockingly tells the story of a man that escapes the life of a Skinhead, and further tries to prevent his younger brother from falling down the same path. A classic film, and a must-see for any movie-buff. 9/10… Expand

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).… Expand

I was introduced to this film in a philosophy class. Undoubtedly one of the best films I've seen in moral issues. I recommend this movie to anyone who has not already seen, in fact, I recommend this movie to human and personal instruction. The film is already being shown in schools, which I think is a fantastic instructional level, but even an adult who still have not seen it have something to learn. In my class there were some tough guys, and even after seeing the film they reflected on the evil they had done until that day.… Expand

62??? really???? This is one of the greatest movies ever made. Edward Norton hit a home run on this film, his acting was amazing. The story was great also. I am still trying to figure out who the heck these 'experts' are.