The Bloggomist: The Local Boy
Film Opinion

When was the last time you saw something that really mattered? I mean, when was the last time you watched a film that was talking about something important, something that moved you so deeply you wished you could step inside the screen and effect your own change? 12 was that kind of movie for me, showing that after countless adaptations and allusions we are still not tired of Reginald Rose’s 12 Angry Men.

Remakes and adaptations are a dime a dozen these days. It seems like Hollywood can’t dig up any new ideas so they end up reaching for sure cash cows a la remake, adaptation, or sequel. Are we really on Saw VI already? Love Actually was cute, Love Happens was a dud, and if I see one more white background with black and red lettering “Love (Whatever)” romance-comedy poster I’m going into a diabetic coma. Thor? The best thing that happened to that movie already occurred when messageboards were tossing around rumors that Leonardo DiCaprio was being considered for the lead. That’s pretty much where the good things end.

Despite this, 12 manages to surmount the drudgery of commercialism and abused nostalgia to create a captivating piece worth watching. The secret? Take Oscar-winning director/actor Nikita Mikhalkov and a tried-and-true storyline – and add the focal point of characters, not the storyline with which we are already well-versed. What are we left with? A film that beautifully paints and wrestles with the human condition framed by and expressed through an ethnically rich Russian culture.

The plot of 12 runs very similar to Rose’s original screenplay, down to the knife which serves as evidence for the 12 jurors who must decide the fate of a boy accused of murder. The power of the film derives fundamentally from its discussion of the human ideas of justice, mercy, prejudice, and moral responsibility. The brilliance of Mikhalkov was expressing these themes with real racial/social barriers and lifestyles that come from a world any Russian would be familiar with. With these interactions driving the storyline, 12 becomes a series of vivid monologues and character studies with men whose supposedly mundane lives turn out to be just as interesting as – if not more interesting than -the boy whom they’re deliberating for. Couple the intense drama with beautifully-shot cinematography and we find ourselves with a film that dazzles and arrests.

Sergei Makovetsky delivers a performance that would have Henry Fonda beaming but it’s really Sergei Garmash who steals the show. His character is largely detestable for most of the movie, but his portrayal is sincere and curiously fascinating. When you finally get to the core of Garmash you discover that there is a deeper story behind his character’s harsh facade.

12 is currently available at most movie rental venues and is well worth your time. The film does run fairly long at nearly two hours and forty minutes, but if you’re someone who appreciates the lost art of storytelling, 12 will be a real treat. The film was, after all, nominated for an Academy Award (2007, Best Foreign Language Film). My only complaint is the cut scene of the dog running through the rainy battleground which Mikhalkov seems to constantly return to throughout the movie. After the fourth time I was tired of it and I still don’t fully understand its meaning or relevance even after finishing 12. Maybe it will make more sense the second time I watch the film.

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To see more from Caleb Lin, visit http://evilmonito.com/author/caleb/

Published on 9 November 2009 | 1 |