American History X Ending

[BaneBeatBats]

There will be spoilers. Just a precaution for those who haven't seen the film.

I watched AHX for the first time last night. My initial reaction as the movie progressed was positive. I was liking it right up until the mid-way part in prison where Derek all of a sudden has a change of heart because some black guy made him laugh. Yeah I'm understating the significance of his black friend. Its a relationship that probably developed during the course of a year or more. I don't doubt that it could happen but the way it happened in the film just didn't seem all that convincing. Derek is obviously an intelligent guy. His argument against Rodney King was spot-on and anybody who was privy to what actually happened that night would've agreed with his assessment. My point is that his conviction was so strong at first, yet he seemed to drop his whole ideology very quickly.

What was up with the ending? Danny gets shot and killed by a black kid soon after he drops his white supremacist ideas. It was almost as if the director trolled us all and said, "welp, the white supremacists were right all along".

Was the movie trying to say that Derek or Danny's mistakes came back to haunt them? Its like, what now after the ending? Does Derek go back to his old lifestyle? I doubt that because of his very public fallout with the movement. It just doesn't feel complete. If the theme was that their mistakes came back to haunt them, then the way it was delivered kind of takes away responsibility from the black kid who shot Danny. In the story he most likely gets arrested, but we the viewers don't see that part. We see Danny get shot then it cuts to the credits so what now?

I'm trying to say something but I can't seem to articulate it very well.

 

[terry78]

It's saying, that's how life works. It doesn't always end up black and white, no pun intended.

 

[Motown Marvel]

i think it was partly about past coming back to haunt you. but also just the fact that the division between races breeds violence. danny's white supremacy actions widened that division which resulted in a stronger more violent reaction.

 

[misjuevos]

also the kid who shot danny never had a role model to show him the way so he went down the path danny might have.

 

[Warhammer]

To me, the ending meant that bigotry still exists in this world. Life is not perfect, but as more people change their ways and stop hating each other solely due to race/ethnicity, the world will become a better place. It's amazing that Derek changed his ways and turned away from his hubris, but that doesn't mean everything is fixed in his world afterward. The way I see it, Derek doesn't go back to his old ways after his brother is killed. It defeats the whole purpose of him changing if he just reverted back. He realized who he used to be, so he wasn't going to regress.

As for that flashback with young Derek at the family dinner. I remember watching the clip on YouTube and people were making comments saying that Derek was right and had a strong valid argument. Clearly, they didn't get the point of the scene. The point was that one man's actions doesn't condemn his entire race. To step beyond that point makes you an agent of bigotry.

 

[BaneBeatBats]

His argument regarding Rodney King was entirely correct imo. I've made that same argument countless times before, but taking it further than that and saying he represents his race is stupid. My point in bringing that up was that he was obviously intelligent and knew how to articulate himself well.

 

[Motown Marvel]

i think the problem with his rodney king argument was despite everything rodney was doing wrong that night, the beating that ensued was still blatantly excessive and mishandled by the cops. rodney did wrong that night. but so did the cops who had to handle him.

 

[Warhammer]

His argument regarding Rodney King was entirely correct imo. I've made that same argument countless times before, but taking it further than that and saying he represents his race is stupid. My point in bringing that up was that he was obviously intelligent and knew how to articulate himself well.

I didn't say he wasn't correct. The point wasn't that Derek or his father were right or wrong. It's that blind hatred will get you nowhere. Come on now. You and I watched the same movie.

 

[BaneBeatBats]

Sure, that's obvious...

 

[Maximus One]

Yea that's basically the entire point of the whole movie. Who wants to walk around pissed off all the time? All that hate breeds nothing but more hate and violence.

 

[Warhammer]

Sure, that's obvious...

Then why did you...nevermind.

 

[obin_gam]

Is there any truth to the rumor that the original ending to the movie had been one of Derek, after he found Dannys body, in front of a mirror shaving his head again?

 

[Carnotaur3]

The movie really plays with your emotions with people in the film. At one point you're agreeing with a neo-nazi and at another your watching the undeserved violence and hate of a raid through a grocery store on innocent customers.

I think the film does a good job showing that hate doesn't just come from evil people, but human people who are lost in their own grief and despair. Hate breeds hate. It's a never-ending circle. And the first step to letting go is realizing you need to.

However, your actions always have consequence.

 

[bullets]

Is there any truth to the rumor that the original ending to the movie had been one of Derek, after he found Dannys body, in front of a mirror shaving his head again?

I hope not , That would of ruined the film's message entirely. I think the end showed how misguided hate crimes are.

 

[Scourge2099]

The ending just shows how hard the road to redemption truly is. Dr Robert Sweeney even tells Derek that after he gets raped in the shower by the Aryan Brotherhood. He told him not to give up no matter how tough it got.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

All of BaneBeatbats comments....

 

[Scourge2099]

He's a Nolanite people. Cut him some slack. This movie is obviously beyond his comprehension.

 

[Warhammer]

Is there any truth to the rumor that the original ending to the movie had been one of Derek, after he found Dannys body, in front of a mirror shaving his head again?

Yeah, I read that somewhere too. Like bullets said, it would have made the entire film a waste of time.

 

[Warhammer]

I watched AHX for the first time last night. My initial reaction as the movie progressed was positive. I was liking it right up until the mid-way part in prison where Derek all of a sudden has a change of heart because some black guy made him laugh. Yeah I'm understating the significance of his black friend. Its a relationship that probably developed during the course of a year or more. I don't doubt that it could happen but the way it happened in the film just didn't seem all that convincing. Derek is obviously an intelligent guy. His argument against Rodney King was spot-on and anybody who was privy to what actually happened that night would've agreed with his assessment. My point is that his conviction was so strong at first, yet he seemed to drop his whole ideology very quickly.

I didn't even see this at first. Here's how I viewed it. Derek was surrounded by bigotry. When he was in jail, he was completely out of his element. He wronged his fellow Aryan brothers and got ostracized by them. Lamont (reluctantly at first) turns out to be the last guy he ever expected to not shun Derek. This is when Derek realizes "Hey, all Black people aren't bad like I originally thought." The best part was that the movie didn't get all corny and made them both best friends forever. But they gained mutual respect for each other.

 

[Scourge2099]

Is there any truth to the rumor that the original ending to the movie had been one of Derek, after he found Dannys body, in front of a mirror shaving his head again?

I heard that to and supposedly Edward Norton pressured them to change it to the ending we all know.

 

[ShredderX]

I also read on wikipedia, that in the original script, after Little Henry kills Danny in the bathroom, he breaks down and collapses on the floor besides Danny's body, then closes Danny's eyes with his fingers.

 

[Scourge2099]

I also read on wikipedia, that in the original script, after Little Henry kills Danny in the bathroom, he breaks down and collapses on the floor besides Danny's body, then closes Danny's eyes with his fingers.

When I watch the ending you can tell Little Henry instantly regrets shooting Danny . I'm sure he turns himself in.

 

[Stringer]

Also, it wasn't just about the black guy making Derek laugh. When he described to him how he ended up in jail, it showed Derek that some of his assumptions are wrong. Not only that, he saved his life. The Aryans and his black friend were disproving everything he believed simultaneously.

 

[Ultimatehero]

The movie really plays with your emotions with people in the film. At one point you're agreeing with a neo-nazi and at another your watching the undeserved violence and hate of a raid through a grocery store on innocent customers.

I think the film does a good job showing that hate doesn't just come from evil people, but human people who are lost in their own grief and despair. Hate breeds hate. It's a never-ending circle. And the first step to letting go is realizing you need to.

However, your actions always have consequence.

This. Also why I really like the film a lot.