Widely considered director Sidney Lumet's best film, 12 angry men (now available on Prime Video) is one of the best courtroom dramas to ever grace the big screen. Released in 1957, age has not diminished its considerable power either, as this powerful film remains a masterpiece to this day.
For anyone who hasn't seen or heard of him: 12 angry men takes place in a single location (a small courtroom, to be more precise) where an all-12-man jury must decide whether the teenager at the center of this trial is innocent or guilty. The capture? 11 jurors believe he committed the crime in question, and only one of the group (Juror 8, known simply as Davis and played by Henry Fonda) believes he is innocent. The film follows Davis' attempts to persuade his fellow jurors that the murder accused is not guilty of said crime. Without revealing anything else about its plot, 12 angry men is a masterclass in acting and writing, and should be watched on one of the world's best streaming services ASAP.
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 main streaming platform.
Let's start with Empire magazine, whose reviewer opined: “On paper, this courtroom drama had little to get excited about: a one-room set, a dozen veterans talking, a first-time director, a non-event. But in the movie , 12 angry men transforms into a superlative mix of acting skill and dynamite direction.” Since it is a feature without “action, or effects, [and] no blurry camera work, [and one with] simply powerful dialogue, finely etched characters, and a beautifully crafted plot,” you begin to realize why it's more than a relic of its time.
Sure, it's a fairly theatrical film: it was originally written as such a production. Still, Slant magazine suggested that this actually improved the film, adding: “the film takes a confined, almost completely banal real-world location and makes it completely dynamic, using incredibly agile camera movements to establish motivation and plot.” theme of the characters”. Famed critics Roger Ebert agreed, explaining that “this is a movie where the tension comes from personality conflict, dialogue, and body language, not from the action.”
My opinion? It's a must-see and certainly 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 nearly perfect 97% ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, the jury has made its decision and I'm resting my case.
