Weighty, Witty Remake 12 Picks Apart Russian Justice

Sony Pictures Classics

Review in a Hurry: The Russian import 12 is a reminder that movies have the potential to be mind-swaying art rather than just crude pop. It's a challenging film that demands a lot from its viewers, but the commitment pays off wonderfully.

The Bigger Picture: 12 is less a remake of the cherished American classic 12 Angry Men and more of a meditation on the flimsy rule of law in modern-day Russia. What on the surface looks like a cut-and-dried deliberation about a murder trial quickly evolves into an exploration of the barbarity of war, corruption, torture, authoritarianism and all those uniquely Slavic miseries.

But make no mistake, 12 is not a stogy, foreign, political snoozer. It's weighty, sure, but it's laced with salty wit, provocative themes and bawdy characters that will keep you compelled despite its lengthy running time.

Cloistered away in a ramshackle school gym, a jury of 12 Muscovites decide the fate of a Chechen boy (ya'll know there's a war on? Right? Good! OK that's important). Several of the jurors have made plans for that same Friday night and are anxious to leave before sunset.

By a quick show of hands, 11 jurors agree that the wanton boy should get a life sentence for the murder of his adoptive father. But there's a holdout: One juror votes to acquit. When pressed, the solitary juror explains that he voted "not guilty" because the group made its severe decision "too quickly." Forced to debate the verdict, the jurors take sides, double back—worms become heroes and vice versa. The 12 men tackle all different types of moral twists and turns with poignancy and sardonic insight.

Though 12 Angry Men has been reworked for every medium, this version is incredibly refreshing. You witness an entirely different set of cultural idiosyncrasies and tensions. While there are some recognizable character types (the brutish worker, the decrepit professor), all of the men have distinct personalities and all—every single one—give a superb performance. Like the original, the movie is glib and at times gaudy, but all is forgiven because it's still an extraordinary feat to say something new about human nature 50 years later.

The 180—a Second Opinion: It's a commitment! In any language, 12 20-minute speeches can be tough to take.