12 (2007)

DVD CASE/SIDE

Length of film:  159 Minutes

Rated: PG-13

Genre: Drama, Crime, Thriller

Director: Nikita Mikhalkov

Starring:  Sergey Makovetskiy, Sergey Garmash, Apti Magamaev, Nikita Mikhalkov, Valentin Gaft

IMDB Rank: 7.6/10

Part 1 Time:  76 Minutes

Part 2 Time:  83 Minutes

Where does the first part end? The jury takes another vote, with five jurors now sustaining a vote of not guilty.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “Five not guilty, seven guilty.” Juror 2 (Nikita Mikhalkov) states to the group.

First line of dialogue on the second part: The opening scene is a flashback of the Chechen boy during his wartime childhood with no dialogue. In the following scene the jurors begin setting up a reenactment of the crime with Juror 1 (Sergey Makovetskiy) stating “This is a perimeter.”

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Somewhat, the break point occurs after several jurors have already expressed their opinions and the deliberation is in full swing. With tensions rising among the jurors will they be able to come to a consensus on the fate of the Chechen boy?

Which part is better? Part two is better as the not guilty voting jurors attempt to sway the guilty voting jurors by reenacting the crime, analyze evidence, and recounting witness testimony. These interactions between the jurors bring many tense moments about morality and complexity of human existence.

Academy Awards: Best Foreign Film (Nominated)