Synopsis: Daniel Vinyard (Edward Furlong) is a skin head. He's been a skin head for as long as he remembers. The reason why he's a skinhead... his brother Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton). Not only is Derek a skin head, he's the mother of all skin heads. He's smart, he's aggressive, but more importantly he's pissed off at anyone who isn't white. The story begins with Derek being released from prison and Danny, in a similar prison, high school. Danny wrote an essay on Mein Kempf and his principal, Dr. Sweeny, isn't too thrilled about it. As punishment, Danny is assigned to write a new paper on his brother Derek's incarceration and the impact it has on Danny. It's a lot more difficult than what Danny had imagined as he delves back into the depths of his memories to relive how his once happy family has transformed into a neo-Nazi camp and realizing that to get out, someone has to pay with their life. Should You Watch It? Grim, grim grim. i'm not going to pretend I know anything about neo-Nazism in the United States and it's something I'm glad I'm not actively involved in. I don't know if this film does portray the true events that it's based off of, in a correct manner but it feels real enough and the violence is definitely real, if not exaggerated. This film is not for everyone. The protagonists are a bunch of racists and extremists and their actions in this film may sour many away from the emotional roller coaster that Danny goes through when recounting the way his brother fell into anger and the depths of hatred. If your stomach and hearts can take it, this film is definitely one to watch.
Things to Watch Out For: Half the film is in black and white. That is, all the flashbacks involving Derek is told in black and white. This stylistic choice is interesting and works well in painting the black and white nature in which Derek's mind operated at the time. The present is always in colour which is used to contrast Derek's current state of mind. It was a clever move to portray the flash backs this way and it adds a lot of flavour. Also, just the amount of Nazi paraphernalia that they collected for this film is amazing and the amount of detail that went into decorating the rooms and Norton's tattoos were equally impressive. The use of water in the beginning, middle and end of the film as a symbol for cleansing is nicely incorporated as well.
Things You Don't Expect: There are many themes in this movie and the main one has to be the last sentence of the film. But there are other minor themes in the film as well which are presented nicely from the skin head point of view. This film really demands you to question everything. Take any certainty in life and question it. Equality and freedom are things that everyone is afforded but is that right? of course generally we agree that everyone is equal and freedom is universal but this movie demands you to even look at something so fundamental as that and question it. It does it well by showing the argument of both sides and it's phrased so cleverly that it never comes off as imposing.
Final Comments:
Story: 8.2 (David McKenna)
Direction: 8.0 (Tony Kaye)
Acting: 9.4
Cinematography: 7.5
Music/Sound: 7.0
Final Score: 8.8
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