Juror #2
Juror #2
While serving as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, a family man finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma, one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict or free the wrong killer.
rg9400 reviewedDecember 2, 2024
12 Angry Men is one of my favorite movies of all time, so I was very excited to see a movie that had such a similar plot setup, albeit with a twist. From the very first scene, Clint Eastwood hits you with symbolism, literally starting with a character wearing a blindfold that will constantly be juxtaposed with the statues of blind Lady Justice. Whether it be focusing in on the scales of Lady Justice or a character looking out a window, framed by bars, or slats of light hitting a character's face that is otherwise shrouded in darkness, all cinematic decisions are in your face, subtlety checked out at the door. I actually do not mind this, but I think it's worth noting because it is a constant presence throughout the movie. The other thing worth noting is that the movie will stretch your suspension of disbelief. Not only in its premise, but also within the way certain jurors act. Some of the ways characters investigate or come to conclusions feel a bit contrived. Regardless, this movie is focused on one thing, and that's the moral quandry that it places its main character in. This aspect of the movie is fantastic, showcasing the inner struggles of a character trying to do the right thing but struggling with his own desires. Nicholas Hoult is fantastic in this movie, really bringing that turmoil to the surface. And through 75% of the movie, it manages to maintain that constant tension and utilizing it to reflect on various other characters, most notably Toni Collette's DA agent whose political aspirations ride on the outcome of this trial. In the last 25%, the movie starts to feel like it is overstaying its welcome though, and the pacing slumps. I think the movie's lack of subtlely is harmful here because it relies on so many unnecessary flashbacks, especially in the last act, where we already have all the relevant plot and character details well before that point. All of this could have been excused had it landed the ending. It does not. I hate the ending to this movie. Throughout the movie, the protaganist's beliefs, values, and struggles remain constant, only for the movie to completely undercut them in the last 10%. The decisions are head-scratching because not only do they not feel in line with the characters, they also do not make sense with the thematic throughline. This movie asks what justice truly means and what is required to acheive it, but then it seems to not want to grapple with that question. In the end, it sort of reaches the conclusion I was expecting anyways, but by skipping some critical character moments, it ends up not mattering. When that final scene played out in our theater, it ended up feeling so anticlimactic that when the credits started rolling, everyone was almost in a daze. This movie should have ended by landing an emotional haymaker, but instead it goes out with a whimper. I can overlook a lot of the smaller stuff, but that last 10% knocked my rating down a few points easily.