One Of The Greatest Films Ever Made. An Excellent,Unforgettable And Powerful Classic From Sidney Lumet.

Rating: 10/10 (18 January 2014)

12 Angry Men is one of the greatest films ever made and an excellent and unforgettable Classic from Sidney Lumet that combines amazing direction,a terrific cast,a wonderful script and a fantastic score making 12 Angry Men one of my favorite films,Sidney Lumet at his best and cinema at it's best.
Set in New York City,12 Angry Men tells the story of 12 jurors who have to decide the fate of a young boy who's been accused of murdering his Father. While the 11 other jurors think the boy's guilty and the case is open and shut,one juror,juror#8(Henry Fonda)Isn't so sure and think they should discuss the case and change the other jurors including juror#3(Lee J. Cobb)verdicts and convince the jurors that the boy is not guilty.
12 Angry Men is a brilliant classic that marked the directorial debut of director Sidney Lumet and also gave viewers one of the finest courtroom dramas ever made. What separates 12 Angry Men from other courtroom dramas is the setting because where other Courtroom dramas take place in and out of the courtroom,12 Angry en takes place mostly inside of a jury room. Right from the moment when the characters enter the jury room viewers are given an riveting and powerful film that has no gunfights,explosions,fist fights or car chases but is one of the most intense and emotionally charged films of all time. When you watch 12 Angry Men you are in the minds of the 12 jurors who are making a choice about a persons life whether they decide that the young boy is guilty or not testing our thoughts and what would we do if we were in a situation like that. 12 Angry Men not only succeeds as a court room drama but as a character study as well because as we watch the film and see all 12 of the jurors we see who they really are outside of the jury room bringing their personal feelings about who they are whether it's about the case or how they feel about each other and the characters are well-developed and interesting. The film also deals with themes such as racism and prejudice in a intelligent and thoughtful way that is still powerful and relevant. Another thing I love about 12 Angry Men is the visually stunning photography and atmosphere. Boris Kaufman's black and white photography is beautiful and haunting adding to the movie's intensity and as emotions run high the photography becomes more dreary and dark. I also love the fact that most of the movie takes place in one room which gives the movie a claustrophobic feel and as 12 Angry Men keeps going the room becomes more enclosed and isolated where you feel like the characters will never get out. Also,the fact that 12 Angry Men takes place on a hot and humid day adds to the tension of the main characters because the jurors are not angry just because of the decision they have to make as jurors but also the heat. When you watch this film you will feel the heat coming of the screen. All the jurors are great characters but the two who are the most fascinating are jurors number#8 and #3 because both pretty much represent the voices of the film. Juror #8 Isn't convinced that the boy is guilty wanting to talk to the other jurors and convince them by asking questions and making a case. You will root and relate to juror#8 because of his determination and persistence that never stops. Where as juror#8 thinks the boy Isn't guilty,juror#3 is convinced right away that the boy is guilty from the start not just because of the facts presented in the case but because of the things going on in his personal life that affects his decision and when the other jurors are talking about the case juror #3 explodes with anger and rage not understanding why would they continue with this case. Juror#8 and #3 are classic and unforgettable characters who anchor the film and have a complexity that adds to the film. The screenplay by Reginald Rose is terrific,with Rose giving the characters memorable dialog as well as scenes that are amazing and will stick with viewers. The ending of 12 Angry Men is fantastic and in my opinion one of the best endings in movie history with non-stop greatness and intensity that you will never forget. A powerful and outstanding conclusion.
The whole cast is amazing in their roles. Henry Fonda is excellent and at his best as Juror#8,with Fonda bringing depth and a heroic quality to the role. Lee J. Cobb is brilliant and fiery in one of my favorite performances in film history as Juror#3,with Cobb bringing intensity,anger and complexity to the role and having great scenes with Fonda. E.G Marshall is terrific as Juror#4,an intelligent stockbroker. Joseph Sweeney is wonderful as Juror#9,an observant and elderly juror. Ed Begley is riveting as Juror#10,a man full of racism,hate and prejudice. Jack Warden is outstanding as Juror#7,with Warden bringing humor to the film. Jack Klugman is fantastic as Juror#12,a man with a slum background. George Voskovic is sensational as Juror#11,a European Juror. John Fiedler(Juror#2),Martin Balsam(Juror#1,The Foreman),Robert Webber(Juror#12)and Edward Binns(Juror#6)give great performances as well.
The direction by Sidney Lumet is amazing and stylish,with Lumet constantly moving the camera and showing close-ups,over head shots keeping the film moving at an incredible pace with a wonderful visual style. Terrific direction,Lumet.
The score Kenyon Hopkins is great,memorable and intense and matches the film's tone. Amazing score,Hopkins.
In final word,if you love Sidney Lumet,Henry Fonda,Courtroom Dramas or cinema,I highly suggest you see 12 Angry Men,an excellent and unforgettable classic that you will watch again and again. Highly Recommended. 10/10.