Prime Video movie of the day: 12 Angry Men is a claustrophobic courtroom drama that deserves its perfect Rotten Tomatoes score

12 Angry Men is as powerful today as it was back in the 1950s

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Widely regarded as director Sidney Lumet’s best movie,12 Angry Men(out now onPrime Video) is one of the best courtroom dramas ever to grace the silver screen. Released way back in 1957, age hasn’t dimmed its considerable power, either, as this powerhouse movie remains a masterpiece to this day.

For anyone who hasn’t seen or heard of it:12 Angry Mentakes place in a single location – a small courtroom, to be more precise – where as 12-strong, male-only jury must decide whether the teenager at the center of this trial is innocent or guilty. The catch? 11 jurors think he’s committed the crime in question, with just one of the group – Juror 8, who’s simply known as Davis and is played by Henry Fonda – thinks he’s innocent. The movie follows Davis' attempts to persuade his fellow jurors that the murder accused isn’t guilty of said offence. Without spoiling anything further about its plot,12 Angry Menis a masterclass in acting and writing, and needs to be watched on one of the world’s best streaming services ASAP.

Why 12 Angry Men deserves its 100% rating

Not convinced? Allow the following reviews to explain why12 Angry Menis easily one of the greatest movies that you can stream onAmazon’s main streaming platform.

Let’s start withEmpire magazine, whose reviewer opined: “On paper, this courtroom drama had little to get excited about – a one room setting, a dozen old-timers spouting off, a first-time director, a non-event. But, on film,12 Angry Menis transformed into a superlative brew of acting prowess and dynamite direction”. Given that it’s a feature with “no action, no effects, [and] no wizzy camerawork, [and one with] just powerful dialogue, finely etched characters, and a beautifully worked plot”, you start to realize why it’s more than a relic of its time.

Sure, it’s quite a stage play-esque movie – it was originally written as such a production. Even so,Slant magazinesuggested that this actually made the flick better, adding: “the film takes a confined, almost completely banal real-world location and makes it completely dynamic, using incredibly nimble camera movements to establish character motivation and theme.” Famous criticsRoger Ebertagreed, explaining that “this is a film where tension comes from personality conflict, dialogue and body language, not action.”

My opinion? It’s must-see and certainly deserves a spot on ourbest Prime Video movieslist. But, hey don’t take my word for it – with its perfect 100% critical and near-perfect 97% audience ratings onRotten Tomatoes, the jury has made its decision, and I rest my case.

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Writer, broadcaster, musician and kitchen gadget obsessive Carrie Marshall has been writing about tech since 1998, contributing sage advice and odd opinions to all kinds of magazines and websites as well as writing more than a dozen books. Her memoir,Carrie Kills A Man, is on sale now and her next book, about pop music, is out in 2025. She is the singer in Glaswegian rock bandUnquiet Mind.

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