12 12 12 Review
Director: Kari Skogland, Ellen Kuras and Takeshi Fukunaga
Date Created: 2026-11-13 21:43
2.5
12 12 12 Review: Directed by Kari Skogland, Ellen Kuras and Takeshi Fukunaga, with Jim Keeble and Dudi Appleton serving as its creators, Apple TV+’s crime thriller stars Anthony Mackie as FBI agent Jack Strickland, Jamie Dornan as professional thief Paul Galvin, Jack Kesy as Bobby Galvin, Agathe Rousselle as Severine, Sallie Harmsen as Lena, José Garcia as Serge Descoteaux and others.
12 12 12 Review
Apple TV+’s 12 12 12 revolves around Paul Galvin, a skilled criminal who ends up getting involved in yet another major heist when he actually wants to turn his back on his criminal lifestyle. With a pregnant girlfriend named Severine and a chance to settle down and start a new life in peace, Paul has all the reasons to run away from his illegal activities. However, his irresponsible brother Bobby’s misadventures, along with the threats posed by a ruthless criminal named Bazin, give him no option but to go ahead with the heist. Their target is the Lindenhof Bank of Zurich, which has close to a billion dollars belonging to the Russian mafia.
One of the first things that caught my eye about 12 12 12 was the way the series develops its plot through three crucial periods of 12 months of preparation, 12 hours of action, and 12 days of escape. This is a fascinating concept because for a crime to be successful, it takes much more than entering a bank and stealing its money. There is a lot more to it, and that is what the series reveals.
What I like especially about that is how the story jumps through all these various time frames. We learn about the reasoning behind the actions of the characters, as well as the preparations that went into the heist and how any minor misstep could potentially jeopardise the whole operation. Also, the non-linear storytelling allows the audience to learn different things at different times, and re-evaluate what we already know. It is a very bold approach to telling a rather conventional genre story, and up until now, it has definitely intrigued me.
But the most intriguing aspect of the Apple TV+ series 12 12 12 for me is not the money and how one steals from a well-protected bank. No, it is the situation of Paul. This is a man who actually wants to turn over a new leaf and get married and become a father. Paul’s affair with Severine provides the movie with an emotional reason to be interested in his fate. The man is not working to earn more money but is forced to do what he does because of his environment.
His relationship with Bobby makes things even more complicated. The younger brother had squandered the money from their last robbery, which included the savings that Paul had saved for their future. The irony is frustrating because one can tell that Paul is trying to get out of there, while Bobby is bringing him back to the old ways of life. They differ in how they approach their criminal career too. While Paul tends to think of the consequences of his actions, Bobby seems to care only about getting his hands on the loot. I appreciate the way their bond is not portrayed as that of brothers.
Another character that brings an emotional level to the plot is Serge. His involvement in the relationship between Paul and Severine raises him above being just another member of the crew. At the same time, his point of view concerning family, love and revenge is very interesting to compare with the ideas of the other main character – Jack, obsessed with finding Paul. I especially like how their discussions make us reconsider the motives of the agent.
This brings me to Jack, who is quite intriguing in his own ways, since his chase for Paul stems from personal reasons as well. The loss of his colleague, Sarah Niles, who was killed during the last Newark heist, has made Jack feel guilty, which means that catching the Galvins is a form of redemption for Jack. Jack wants to reclaim his old job, although there are other aspects to why he is so determined to get the Galvins. Jack gets an intriguing personality when seen in his dealings with the Swiss police, especially Lena.
Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan make this struggle fascinating to watch. Mackie infuses Jack with an intensity that is appropriate for someone who has let one failure in his professional career define his life. In contrast, Jamie Dornan makes Paul vulnerable through his actions, especially with regard to Severine and their baby.
The efforts made to show the process of the theft are another aspect I like in this 2026 12 12 12 series. The underground boring, sophisticated security system, the contortionist robber Alberich, and the mercury tilt switch give an impression that everything in this process is well prepared and requires hard work. The scene when the group realises the presence of the old-fashioned security system not mentioned in the blueprints of the bank is especially amusing since it shows that even a well-thought-out plan can fail due to some unpredictable factor.
However, there are things that I find hard to overlook. The fact that Apple TV+’s 12 12 12 series is made up of three timelines is very interesting, but sometimes it makes the story even more complex than it needs to be. There are times when the explanation and the technical stuff overshadow the action rather than complementing it. I feel some of the secondary characters need more space to develop themselves.
Netflix 12 12 12 Review: Summing Up
Overall, since there are only two episodes available at the moment, I would like to see what becomes of 12 12 12. Paul’s growing problems, Jack’s determination and the risky business involving the stolen money from Russia provide sufficient content to keep me interested. There are some aspects of this story that I do not like, but this is one thing I do not want to give up on.
