Nikita Mikhalkov’s 12 has 12 Russian jurors deciding the
verdict of a Chechen youth accused of killing his stepfather.
Technically a remake, the film follows the structure of 12 Angry
Men, while adding flashbacks of the youth and a final twist that is
eye-opening and unnerving. A great film, dedicated to character-rich
portraits which illuminate the pressures, concerns and way of life in
present-day Moscow, 12 begins with a quote: “Don’t look here for
the truth of everyday life, but try to feel the truth of being.”
12 reveals the jurors’ own truth of being and how, or if, it is
embraced by others.
This article appears in Jul 23-29, 2009.