Amazon.com: 12: Sergei Makovetsky, Nikita Mikhalkov, Sergei Garmash, Valentin Gaft: Amazon Instant Video

Product Details

Synopsis: 12 truths and 12 characters decide the fate of a Chechen boy on trial for the murder of his stepfather. It's up to a jury divided by racism and prejudice to decide the youth's fate, in director Nikita Mikhalkov's Oscar-nominated remake of 12 Angry Men. A Brilliant look at fear, trust and the triumph of human nature.

Starring: Sergei Makovetsky, Nikita Mikhalkov

Supporting actors: Sergei Garmash, Valentin Gaft, Aleksei Petrenko, Yuri Stoyanov, Sergei Gazarov, Mikhail Efremov, Alexei Gorbunov, Sergei Artsybashev, Viktor Verzhbitsky, Roman Madyanov, Alexander Adabashyan

Directed by: Nikita Mikhalkov

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller, War

Runtime: 2 hours 41 minutes

Release year: 2009

Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

Studio required notice: Content is protected by U.S. copyright law. Learn More.

MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for violent images, disturbing content, thematic material, brief sexual and drug references, and smoking

ASIN: B002OUS4Q6 (Rental) and B002C2XA60 (Purchase)

Rights & Requirements

Rental rights: 24 hour viewing period Details

Purchase rights: Stream instantly and download to 2 locations. Details

Compatible with: Mac and Windows PC online viewing, compatible instant streaming devices, TiVo DVRs. System requirements

Format: Amazon Instant Video (streaming online video and digital download)

Also available on DVD

12 DVD ~ Sergey Makovetskiy

4.4 out of 5 stars (28) $9.70

Theatrical Release Information

US Theatrical Release Date: March 04, 2009
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for violent images, disturbing content, thematic material, brief sexual and drug references, and smoking
Production Company: Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography, Studio Trite, Three T Productions
Filming Locations: Mosfilm Studios, Moscow, Russia | Russia

Video Format Details

Online Viewing	PC Download	TiVo box	Portable device
View instantly from any PC or Mac with a broadband connection	Ready to watch in about 1 hour 5 minutes*	Ready to watch in about 1 hour 15 minutes*	Ready to transfer in about 1 hour 5 minutes*

* Your download times may vary--estimates shown are for a typical DSL connection (1.5 Mbits/sec). Rental videos cannot be transferred to a portable device.

Customer Reviews

28 Reviews

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (28 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Russian's Point of View, August 29, 2009

By

Russki (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 12 (DVD)

I accidentally stumbled upon this movie one boring Friday night when I stopped by a local Blockbuster store. Never even heard of it before and at first rolled my eyes thinking that this would be Mikhalkov's feeble attempt to remake a classic that I like so much. As an expatriate from the former Soviet Union, I tend to be a bit suspicious when it comes to Russian attempts to "go Hollywood." Yet, I felt some weird pull to rent it...

I must say, this movie completely blew me away!!! I would imagine it tough reading the subtitles for a movie that relies so heavily on dialog and small nuances of speech and my hat is off to those of you who were willing to invest the time to watch this movie. It's also sad that some of the things got lost in translation: accents of some of the jurors, or the fact that the bombed cafe in the flash-back scenes was called "Cheburashka" - a sweet stuffed animal cartoon character every Russian child grew up with (oh, the irony!), or that the hand-scribbled sign above the entrance into the basement where the boy was hiding read, "Don't shoot, there are women and children inside," etc. Nevertheless, the fact that none of these things - the length, the subtitles, the little things lost in translation, the cultural differences - took away from the power of the movie serves as a testament to the director's craft. Simply superb!

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse | Permalink

Comment Comments (2)

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 12 Is Not a 10, But Close!, July 17, 2009

By

Daniel Murphy "Dan Murphy" (Redmond, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: 12 (DVD)

You know how it goes: Someone tells you an "art" film is good, you put it on your list, you Netflix or rent it. And then it sits, because you don't have quite enough energy to watch something that might require your brain to kick into first gear. Such was 12, with me, until I decided to give it the "30 minute test": if I wasn't hooked in 30 minutes, back to Netflix with this sucker.

I was hooked inside of ten minutes. This Russian language film (English subtitles)serves notice that the Russki's really can make good films, REALLY good films. Based on the premise of the original American drama Twelve Angry Men, a Chechen teen is accused of murdering his Russian stepfather. The jury expects deliberation will take less than a half hour, the audience knows otherwise.

Though borrowed from an American film, 12 is uniquely, and in many ways, purely Russian. Using sharply defined acting and amazingly detailed character studies, 12 unfolds for Westerners an intimate portrait of Russia in the 21st century, and a fascinating and engaging portrait it is. In a way reminiscent of Slumdog Millionaire, the story unfolds as each juror tells a story about life in Russia, each story but one whittling down the guilty votes. Each story reveals the Russian soul and temperament in ways that a dry treatise simply cannot.

Complete with a twist at the end that is engaging and powerful, this film will please any viewer that prides him/herself on being a student of foreign cinema. A bit lengthy (hey, ever heard of a Russian novel that was SHORT?) 12 will reward a bit of patience richly.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse | Permalink

Comment Comment

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Soul of Russia, August 26, 2009

By

J. Wright - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: 12 (DVD)

This film is a glimpse into the very soul of Russia: Outsized, florid, flamboyant, cruel, petty, funny, and poetic. It is as if Gogol's Dead Souls were transported to a 21st century courtroom. The gruesome flashbacks to the horrors of the Chechen War provide resonance, context, and meaning. The acting is superb (if extravagant), and the direction and montage artful, even at times beautiful. Mysterious and poetical symbols are scattered throughout; it is a credit to the director's skill that they remain so effective. Two hours and 40 minutes of speeches you have to read as subtitles may seem like a chore. It is instead a moving and illuminating experience.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Report abuse | Permalink

Comment Comment

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 28 customer reviews...

Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars "12"
12

See My Review Of 12 & Other Film Recommendations on My Films Blog PRASCHAUDHURI ON WORLD FILMS http://prasenjitchaudhuri.wordpress. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Prasenjit Chaudhuri

5.0 out of 5 stars Twice Told Tale
Twice "12" is 24, and that happens to be the number of five/four star reviews already posted about this film. Read more

Published 3 months ago by Giordano Bruno

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing remake of 12 Angry Men.
This is an extraordinary work which in good Russian style manages to be both intensely serious and yet quite light, with acute observation, great philosophising and a sting in the... Read more