Movie-12

12 was nominated for an Oscar as best foreign film for 2007 and has just been released on DVD. It did not win.

One of my all time favorite films is 12 Angry Men with Henry Fonda. Though it is set in one room, the drama that stems from this jury, making a decision on the guilt or innocence of man has always captivated me. So I was more than intrigued to see this Russian film 12 (2007) based on 12 Angry Men, but with a Slavic twist.

12 has the same premise...a young man accused of killing his step-father. It seems to most of the jury an open and shut case. A no brainer. They all have other plans, and so are happy to get this over with, and be on their way. So they adjourn to the jury room, elect a chairman, and take a vote. But one person maintains the young man's innocence. A lone juror wants them to look more closely at the case, and take a bit more time in considering their vote.

12 shows more outside the jury room than the original did. It also lets each juror tell more about his own life and experiences. And while this can be interesting, it is also sometimes too much, and is my only knock on the film. Sometimes their stories really do not have much to do with the case and go on too long. Some of the stories are used to great effect, but we really did not need to hear from all 12 of them, I don't think.

The ending really veers from 12 Angry Men, and actually becomes a strength of this film. It takes you to a place you don't expect at all, a place that like the film, is foreign to an American mindset.

Overall 12 is a very good film. A mite too long, sometimes losing focus on the main story line, but an excellent homage to 12 Angry Men, and and very good film in and of itself.