12 Monkeys

Starring: Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer
Directed by: Terry Gilliam
Rating: R
Genre: Science Fiction, Drama, Thriller
1996

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: In 2035, a plague has caused the human race to retreat underground to live, while animals roam free on the earth. A prisoner (Bruce Willis) is chosen to go back in time to mid-1990s to discover the source of the plague- the Army of the 12 Monkeys. However, the time travel threatens to shatter his psyche, and in the past, he is aided by a psychiatrist (Madeleine Stowe) and an tenant (Brad Pitt) in an insane asylum.

Review:

Tim: This is one hell of a crazy movie. The story is pretty interesting, the apocalypse, time travel, and insanity are all woven together in a plot that is always interesting, if not always understandable.

Bruce Willis is great in the lead. He balances the line between sanity and insanity carefully and remains believable when he leans to either side. Madeleine Stowe is very good as well.

Brad Pitt gives an all out crazy performance. He is remarkably brilliant in his portrayal of a clearly mentally ill man. It is almost scary how mentally confused he is. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance.

The story is complex and confusing, weaving back and forth in time, teetering on reality and insanity, and showing us scenes that will not make any sense until later in the film. While this all makes for an interesting film, this is not a movie you can watch too often. It is tough work sticking with the plot until the end, and it is only mildly rewarding then.

12 Monkeys is a thought provoking movie, but it is too far out there to be truly enjoyable.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Butterfly Effect, Time Bandits, Fight Club