The 12th Man (2017)

Den 12. mann / 12th man is a different retelling of the story about the flight of Jan Baalsrud, hunted by the Nazi occupants after a sabotage action hiding important papers. The story was told from Baalsrud's angle in the 1957 Academy Award nominee-movie Ni Liv (Nine lives) by director Arne Skouen, This time it's Hollywood director Harald Zwart, known for his comedies and the rather good remake of The Karate Kid, and he has made something he has never done, a survival drama and war film.

And he has succeeded well in telling a story about a hero, which became so due to good helpers in good believing Norwegians, being able to assist him on the two month struggle of a journey through very harsh winter terrain and weather.

The film tells the story of not only Baalsrud, but also the 11 other which were alle killed by the Nazi's, and also tells the story about the survival spirit of a war-occupied country. This film is actually much more accurate than the original 1957-film, and completely differently told, which serves both the story and the film well.

Debuting Thomas Gullestad is amazing in the lead, and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is excellent as the German Kurt Stage. And the rest of the cast does fabulous as well.

Well worth a watch!