12 Citizens
| 12 Citizens | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 十二公民 | |
| Directed by | Xu Ang |
| Based on | Twelve Angry Men |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 106 minutes |
| Country | China |
| Language | Mandarin |
| Box office | CN¥2.07 million (China) |
12 Citizens (Chinese: 十二公民) is a 2014 Chinese suspense crime drama film directed by Xu Ang. It was shown at the 2014 Rome Film Festival on October 19, 2014[1] and was released in China on May 15, 2015.[2] The plot is based on and heavily references the plot of 12 Angry Men. The major changes in the plot are changes brought forward and made more appropriate for a Chinese audience.
Plot
On a hot summer's day, 12 male "citizens" undergo a mock jury for a law school's Western law subject. The mock jury need to decide whether a boy is guilty or not of a murder of his father with a knife based on the evidence. The evidence prepared by the students of the course seems airtight and therefore it seems as if the jury will render him guilty of the crime. However, one juror does not follow the consensus and appreciates the nuances and seriousness of the verdict. His motives are unclear but he wants to entertain the thought that there is reasonable doubt about the guilt of the boy. As a result, the evidence is slowly cross-referenced and examined. Conflicts are spurred as a result of their differing personalities and strong opinions. Eventually, one by one, the jurors are convinced that there is reasonable doubt and judge the boy to be not guilty. On the end of the mock jury trial, the jurors are visibly exhausted. The juror who had rebelled and wanted to see the case through is revealed to be an Attorney General of the People's Republic of China.
Cast
- He Bing 何冰
- Han Tongsheng 韩童生
- Qian Bo 钱波
- Zhao Chunyang 赵春羊
- Mi Tiezen 米铁增
- Gao Dongping 高东平
- Zhang Yongqiang 张永强
- Li Guangfu 李光复
- Wang Gang 王刚
- Ban Zan 班赞
- Liu Hui
- Lei Jia 雷佳
Reception
By May 16, 2015 the film had grossed CN¥2.07 million at the Chinese box office.[3]
On Film Business Asia, Derek Elley gave the film a 9 out of 10, saying it "is superbly written and played."[4]
References
- ↑ "Shier gongmin (12 Citizens)". filmguide.romacinemafest.it (in Italian). Retrieved May 17, 2015.
- ↑ "十二公民 (2014)". movie.douban.com (in Chinese). douban.com. Retrieved May 17, 2015.
- ↑ "十二公民（2015）". www.cbooo.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved May 17, 2015.
- ↑ Derek Elley (June 13, 2015). "12 Citizens". Film Business Asia. Retrieved June 15, 2015.