12 Monkeys
2 Oscar Nominations
Rent/Purchase
In the year 2035, convict James Cole reluctantly volunteers to be sent back in time to discover the origin of a deadly virus that wiped out nearly all of the earth's population and forced the survivors into underground communities. But when Cole is mistakenly sent to 1990 instead of 1996, he's arrested and locked up in a mental hospital. There he meets psychiatrist Dr. Kathryn Railly and the son of a famous virus expert who may hold the key to the Army of the 12 Monkeys; thought to be responsible for unleashing the killer disease.
What critics thought
Terry Gilliam's time-travel thriller landed as a genuinely unsettling piece of science fiction — grim, disorienting, and hard to shake — though critics split on whether its ideas were as original as its atmosphere. Willis and Pitt's performances drew broad praise, but the plot's coherence and the freshness of its apocalyptic conceits were both questioned. Ebert admired the craft while finding it an experience that engages the mind more than the gut; Corliss dismissed the whole thing as dressed-up cliché.
“12 Monkeys is fierce and disturbing, with a plot that skillfully resists following any familiar course. The film's hero fears that he's half-crazy, and for two hours Mr. Gilliam artfully keeps his audience feeling the same way.”
Janet Maslin·The New York Times
“The film is a celebration of madness and doom, with a hero who tries to prevail against the chaos of his condition, and is inadequate”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“In its frantic mix of chaos, carnage and zoo animals, 12 Monkeys is Jumanji for adults”
Richard Corliss·Time
“The film's startling depiction of the world in 2035—where human life has been driven underground by a 1990s viral outbreak that annihilated 99% of human life—may not always make sense. But 12 Monkeys rattles with insightful sound and fury, and its bleak visions are hard to shake.”
Peter Stack·San Francisco Chronicle
Genres
Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Cast & Crew
DirectorTerry Gilliam
StarringBruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer, David Morse
ComposerPaul Buckmaster
12 Monkeys
2 Oscar Nominations
In the year 2035, convict James Cole reluctantly volunteers to be sent back in time to discover the origin of a deadly virus that wiped out nearly all of the earth's population and forced the survivors into underground communities. But when Cole is mistakenly sent to 1990 instead of 1996, he's arrested and locked up in a mental hospital. There he meets psychiatrist Dr. Kathryn Railly and the son of a famous virus expert who may hold the key to the Army of the 12 Monkeys; thought to be responsible for unleashing the killer disease.
What critics thought
Terry Gilliam's time-travel thriller landed as a genuinely unsettling piece of science fiction — grim, disorienting, and hard to shake — though critics split on whether its ideas were as original as its atmosphere. Willis and Pitt's performances drew broad praise, but the plot's coherence and the freshness of its apocalyptic conceits were both questioned. Ebert admired the craft while finding it an experience that engages the mind more than the gut; Corliss dismissed the whole thing as dressed-up cliché.
“12 Monkeys is fierce and disturbing, with a plot that skillfully resists following any familiar course. The film's hero fears that he's half-crazy, and for two hours Mr. Gilliam artfully keeps his audience feeling the same way.”
Janet Maslin·The New York Times
“The film is a celebration of madness and doom, with a hero who tries to prevail against the chaos of his condition, and is inadequate”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“In its frantic mix of chaos, carnage and zoo animals, 12 Monkeys is Jumanji for adults”
Richard Corliss·Time
“The film's startling depiction of the world in 2035—where human life has been driven underground by a 1990s viral outbreak that annihilated 99% of human life—may not always make sense. But 12 Monkeys rattles with insightful sound and fury, and its bleak visions are hard to shake.”
Peter Stack·San Francisco Chronicle
Genres
Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Cast & Crew
DirectorTerry Gilliam
StarringBruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer, David Morse
ComposerPaul Buckmaster
Rent/Purchase