Widely regarded as director Sidney Lumet’s best film, 12 angry men (now available on Prime Video) is one of the best courtroom dramas ever to hit the big screen. Released way back in 1957, the film hasn’t diminished its considerable power either, as this powerful film remains a masterpiece to this day.
For anyone who hasn’t seen or heard it yet: 12 angry men takes place in one location – a small courtroom, to be more precise – where an all-male jury of 12 must decide whether the teenager at the center of this trial is innocent or guilty. The catch? Eleven jurors think he committed the crime in question, while only one of the group – Juror 8, known simply as Davis and played by Henry Fonda – thinks he is innocent. The film follows Davis’ attempts to convince his fellow jurors that the murder accused is not guilty of the said crime. Without revealing anything else about the plot, 12 angry men is a masterclass in acting and writing, and should be watched as soon as possible on one of the world’s best streaming services.
Why 12 Angry Men deserves its 100% rating
Not convinced? Let the following reviews explain why 12 angry men is easily one of the best movies you can stream on Amazon’s premier streaming platform.
Let’s start with Empire magazinewhose reviewer opined, “On paper, this courtroom drama had little to rave about — a one-room setting, a dozen vintage cars speaking out, a new director, a non-event. But on film, 12 angry men has been transformed into a superlative concoction of acting talent and dynamite direction”. Since it is a feature film with “no action, no effects, (and) no wizzy camerawork, (and one with) just powerful dialogue, finely etched characters and a beautifully crafted plot “, you start to realize why it’s more than a relic of its time.
Sure, it’s quite a stagey film; it was originally written as such a production. However, Slant magazine suggested that this actually made the film better, adding: “the film takes a limited, almost completely banal real-world location and makes it completely dynamic, using incredibly deft camera movements to convey the motivation and theme of the establish characters.” Famous critics Roger Ebert agreed, explaining that “this is a film where tension comes from personality conflicts, dialogue and body language, and not from action.”
My opinion? It’s a must-see and definitely deserves a spot on our list of the best Prime Video movies. But don’t take my word for it – with its perfect 100% critical and near-perfect 97% audience ratings on Rotten tomatoesThe jury has made a decision and I rest my case.