In this one, we have Willem Dafoe and Edward Furlong as our two protagonists who become unlikely allies, both coming from opposite ends of the world. You know the story and it’s much the same with Animal Factory, but as always with prison films, it’s the execution of it that really makes it work. Most prison films are similar in themes protagonist gets arrested, gets in a fight, and attempts to escape. Shawshank Redemption, Cool Hand Luke, Papillon the prison movies at the top of all the lists that everyone loves (me included), but why does no one ever suggest Animal Factory? That’s the question I was asking myself the whole way through the film. My main Furlong steals the show yet again. I guess I just love the transformation of a lost soul and his journey to redemption. I wouldn’t class it is an all-time favourite movie anymore or a masterpiece, but I still love it despite its flaws. He was my favourite actor of those early film-loving years, and this revisiting of American History X has only further reminded me of what a great actor he can be with the right material, and the director Tony Kaye handles the tough character expertly. A decade or so of great stature in cinema with Fight Club, 25th Hour and Primal Fear being the highlights of a blossoming career, but over the past seven or so years, he’s become somewhat of a forgotten face for no apparent reason and it’s a real shame. The 90’s and early 00’s was the peak for Edward Norton. Maybe it’s a lot to do with my pre-teen love for it, but films struggle to amount any kind of power stronger or even adequate to the sequences that unfold in this film and the disturbing “curb-stomp” sequence still sends shivers down my spine, that scene is almost apocalyptic and it sets the tone for the character development that the movie possesses. It’s not a film for the squeamish or something that I’d find easily recommendable to the common person, but I love it to death. The earth-shattering events in the film all affect me in the most powerful and prominent of ways right up to this day. So I felt I should try to rekindle my love for it this evening. I’m not entirely sure how long ago my last viewing was, but it’s definitely been far too long. A movie so fierce and memorable that it played a part in the beginning of my love affair with movies. It was a movie that spoke to me and its power completely shattered me. By the time I reached 15, I must have seen American History X a good dozen times.
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