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12 (2009)Movie Reviews
Russian drama about a room full of jurors divided by racism and prejudice to determine a boy's ultimate fate in a loose remake of Reginald Rose's "12 Angry Men". Cast:Sergei Makovetsky, Nikita Mikhalkov, Sergei Garmash, Alexei PetrenkoDirector:Nikita MikhalkovRelease Date:March 4, 2009DVD Release:July 14, 2009From:Sony ClassicsRating:PG-13Length:2 hr 39 min
12 (2009) played in key cities to very good reviews that at the same time were mixed. • Roger Moore wrote in the Orlando Sentinel, "...a fascinating, stylish commentary on Russian justice and the universality of prejudice set in that great crucible for great drama, the jury room." • And Amy Biancolli wrote in the Houston Chronicle, "...overlong yet mesmerizing..." More Reviews Below...
Leah Rozen, People: VERY GOOD(cg) "A gaggle of talented character actors boisterously strut their stuff in a loosely adapted Russian-language version of '12 Angry Men.' "(See all of Leah Rozen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 45 words, 03/05/09
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a powerful new film inspired by a powerful older one. You know the story. A jury is sequestered. The men are hot and tired, and impatient to go home."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 654 words, 03/26/09
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times/Chicago Tribune: OUTSTANDING "...you are reminded of Mikhalkov's intimate feel for the landscape of his country and the joy and pain of its peoples that you find in his other work..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 636 words, 03/06/09
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a loose remake that's not only as Russian as vodka but also a grippingly entertaining actors' showcase.... does honor to the spirit of the original."(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 314 words, 03/04/09
Rick Groen, Toronto Globe & Mail: MODERATE(cg) "...a movie that's simultaneously a tight political allegory and a meandering social treatise, one moment keenly precise and the next dozen bombastically operatic."(See all of Rick Groen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 529 words, 03/20/09
Bob Strauss, Orange County Register: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the movie's tricky, bombastic presentation of these ideas wears on a viewer as surely as a sober, philosophical approach may have."(See all of Bob Strauss's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 510 words, 03/06/09
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Rose's play remains the model of a gripping ensemble drama, the cast is up to the challenge, and the new, distinctly Russian ending is nothing short of genius."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 179 words, 03/19/09
KEY CITIES (10 Reviews)
Dan Zak, Washington Post: EXCELLENT(cg) "...the film seems at once both organic and artful.... It endures because it's eternally fascinating to watch people confront themselves by confronting others."(See all of Dan Zak's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 553 words, 05/01/09
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: MODERATE(cg) "...it's impossible not to like director Nikita Mikhalkov's performance as the jury foreman and to appreciate his command of the screen."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 523 words, 03/13/09
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: VERY GOOD(cg) "...its themes are universal at their core: Human beings are filled with bigotry and hate, but also with an ability to reason and, on our better days, to seek out the truth."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 324 words, 04/10/09
Ty Burr, Boston Globe: MODERATE(cg) "The film's a haul but it's imaginative and rarely dull, especially once you realize how far it has strayed in principle from its source."(See all of Ty Burr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 569 words, 03/13/09
Shawn Levy, Portland Oregonian: GOOD(cg) "Nikita Mikhalkov plays the jury foreman, allowing himself a bit of business that eventually erases itself... Alas, too much of this splashy film is just like that."(See all of Shawn Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 223 words, 05/22/09
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a fascinating, stylish commentary on Russian justice and the universality of prejudice set in that great crucible for great drama, the jury room."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 437 words, 04/24/09
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Rose's play remains the model of a gripping ensemble drama, the cast is up to the challenge, and the new, distinctly Russian ending is nothing short of genius."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 179 words, 03/19/09
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "...you are reminded of Mikhalkov's intimate feel for the landscape of his country and the joy and pain of its peoples that you find in his other work..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 636 words, 03/06/09
Ray Bennett, Hollywood Reporter: OUTSTANDING "On the way to a smartly unexpected climax, the film provides insight into many of the social and historical issues that burden modern Russia but that are hardly unique..."(See all of Ray Bennett's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 655 words, 09/07/07
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: OUTSTANDING "...you are reminded of Mikhalkov's intimate feel for the landscape of his country and the joy and pain of its peoples that you find in his other work..."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 636 words, 03/06/09
20.1 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
12 (2009)'s reviews are separated by an average 20.1 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
12 (2009) (26 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:12 (2009)'s reviews cover 40.8% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 11,166 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 430 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 6 Days After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
12 (2009)'s reviews on average broke 6 days after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is 12 (2009)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
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