DR: Nikita Mikhalkov’s 12

Nikita Mikhalkov (Burnt by the Sun) masterfully updates Sidney Lumet‘s classic “12 Angry Men” as a piece that is both timely and relevant. A jury of a dozen, old Russian men are about to delibrate the fate of Chechen boy who apparently killed his Russian adoptive father. That would be the equivalent to having white American men decide the fate of a Middle-Eastern Boy in post 9/11 USA. Of course nothing is as it seems as Mikhalkov lets the tale unfold with a skill-set and the sort of pacing that allows for a thorough debate on crime and punishment that involves extreme prejudice, racism and intolerance as each member speaks out about the case to reveal themselves and their views that keep both the jury and audience enthralled until the film’s satisfying conclusion. Film was released by Sony Pictures Classics on Wednesday and is IONCINEMA.com’s Daily Recommendation for March 6th 2009.