MPAA Rating: R/ Genre: Sci-Fi/ Stars: Bruce Willis, Madeline Stowe, Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer, David Morse, Jon Seda, Christopher Meloni, Frank Gorshin, Vernon Campbell, Lisa Gay Hamilton/ Runtime: 129 minutes
I feel that ever since the formation of science-fiction as a category for people to pour their creative energies into, there have always been narratives about not only the end of the world, but what exactly would a world post-apocalypse consist of and how would humans factor into such a world. Indeed it’s not difficult to see the interest in such tales; the fact that today’s society is in some way culpable for what may become of our future as a species coupled with the frightening reality that people’s distinct refusals to see just what is right there looking us in the face may in fact be the very thing to lead to our downfall and subsequent annihilation are universally shared fears and as such these are concepts which have long intrigued civilization’s greatest philosophers, poets, writers, and eventually filmmakers as well.
With that being said, I definitely feel that, among the films in this particular sub-genre of science fiction, 12 Monkeys is a unique and special film that chooses to not fall prey to becoming the kind of “typical Hollywood movie” that one might expect especially when this film’s cast is concerned. This is because rather than tell a standard and cliche ‘time travel’ story that deals with the typical elements of cause and effect, 12 Monkeys instead dares to do something different. By that I mean 12 Monkeys instead decides to present its central and standard premise as an ambiguous narrative while showcasing for us a main character who finds themselves tiptoeing on that incredibly thin line that is all that separates the time-honored ideas of reality and stark, raving madness and when you factor in a director who is skilled in blurring that proverbial line as well as a terrific cast operating at the peak of their acting abilities the result is the best kind of lunacy, if such a thing exists, imaginable.
The plot is as follows: Twelve Monkeys introduces us a to man by the name of James Cole. Cole lives in a future version of our world where, a long time ago, a pathogen swept across the planet and slaughtered over 5 billion people with only 1% of the population being lucky enough to survive. Now humans have been driven underground and a team of scientists are the new world leaders. Soon however Cole is summoned by the scientists who have an important mission: they want to send Cole back to the past to the year 1996 in order to gain more intel about the origins of the virus so that maybe a cure can be found and thus save the remainder of the human race. However things begin to go awry when Cole is accidentally sent to 1990 and finds himself stuck in a mental institute where he meets a psychiatrist by the name of Kathryn Raily as well as another patient by the name of Jeffrey Goines. Of course Cole attempts to tell these individuals that he’s from the future and of course they don’t believe him, but it isn’t long before the scientists bring him back. However after telling the scientists what has occurred, they finally get him to the correct year where he reunites with Railly and by reunites I mean he kidnaps. Now this mismatched duo must navigate a labyrinth of pure madness and discern what is real and what is fantasy in order not only to trace the virus, but also to do whatever they can in the present to ensure that maybe humanity has a better tomorrow…..
Now I feel it is no secret that Terry Gilliam has always been one of the entertainment industry’s more…intriguing directors. This is because while usually his films are uneven when it comes to plot, but in regards to visual and a sense of style they are a true feast for the eyes. However when it comes to 12 Monkeys, I feel that Gilliam manages to give audiences what is perhaps his most fully satisfying work in the form of a persistently intriguing mystery surrounded by a foundation consisting of the classic narrative featuring time travel. Yet even with those elements in place, this is still a quite complicated story to follow so you will need to pay attention every step of the way. Yet despite that, I feel that the story is perhaps this film’s greatest positive. I say that because this film’s labyrinth of madness-style plot is one that will definitely require you to watch it multiple times in order to get even the basics nailed down. Even with that though, I feel that there will always be a few crucial aspects shrouded in ambiguity no matter what so it’s also a film that allows for plenty of creative and constructive interpretation and debate. Now from a visual standpoint, I think that Terry Gilliam is a true expert in the art of showcasing both shadow and shade of a stark variety in both setting as well as imaging that truly has few contemporaries. Also by utilizing cinematography that is by equal turns chilling, and vast Gilliam also does a wonderful job of sending an audience into the bleakness of both the world and the characters in his films. A feat which he is aided in by immersing a lot of scenes in a bright, almost clinical white light that really help contradict against the often teetering on the absolute edge of insanity that his characters find themselves facing.
Yet the most distinct thing that manages to truly distinguish this film from the vast majority of science fiction films with a time-travel angle about them is the unique fact that this film actually chooses to showcase just exactly what can happen to a person from a psychological perspective when they engage in time travel. By that I mean that it’s a very distinct possibility that the individual might begin having trouble discerning just what reality is actually real: the time and place that the time-traveler claims to originate from or the time and place that the time-traveler goes to. In addition, this is a film which chooses to brilliantly recognize that what has happened in the past can’t be changed in any way, and as such thinks of a calamitous nature such as pathogen being released onto the planet can’t be altered. Indeed it’s like Willis himself says at one point during his time in the loony bin “It’s already happened”. Thus this film’s major conflict is not some cliche, used time and time again struggle to save the planet; rather it’s more of a psychological conflict within a man and his mind in order to discern what is real and what isn’t. Indeed it actually is a fantastic, novel, and absolutely unique idea and suffice it to say it’s also one that manages to work wonderfully thanks in significant measure to a truly taut and intriguing script filled with Terry Gilliam’s distinct style of madness and insanity.
Now this is also a piece of cinematic experience which also benefits quote strongly thanks to phenomenal work by a game cast. This all starts with movie lead Bruce Willis who, at the time this film was released, was having a bit of a career uptick due to the release of some films like Pulp Fiction in ’94 which showed that he was capable of giving a great performance rather than just being an action lead. I bring this up is because in my opinion 12 Monkeys is definitely one of these films. Indeed Willis is absolutely phenomenal in this as he manages to rotate from stark raving mad to soundness of mind and back and forth. Not only that, but he wisely contributes a more subdued style that works significantly more so than Willis’ usual schtick of being the quippy everyman that he is known for portraying. Also equally as good in a smaller, but no less pivotal role is Brad Pitt. Indeed while there may be moments where he comes dangerously close to overdoing it, Pitt still manages to take this loony role as far as one could without being too easy going. Indeed this is easily one of Pitt’s best performances and in a career where a lot of those exist that is definitely saying something. Now although she, and by extent her character, sadly finds itself within the giant shadows cast by these 2 acting titans, I definitely feel that Madeline Stowe does a magnificent job at being the eyes of the audience in this while also bringing a desperately needed sense of humanity to these loony yet also clinical proceedings. Also equally as good albeit in quite minor roles are David Morse, Christopher Plummer, Christopher Meloni, and Jon Seda, but ultimately this is very much a film which belongs and is built on the strength of the 3 lead actors to the extent that the fact that the rest of the performances are just as great is simply icing on the proverbial cake.
All in all it is through the master and truly logistically complex management of material that quite easily could’ve made for a regular old Direct-to-Video B action/sci-fi film that instead transforms this film into an absolutely compelling look at a horrific future, but it is through a plentiful, extremely well choreographed, and complex in all the best ways storyline along with fantastic performances from the entire cast of players as well as a perfectly sense of both grim and nihilistic in equal measure courtesy of the cinematography department that this film becomes no more and no less than a true gem of insanity. Indeed more than that however Twelve Monkeys is genuine proof that, with the right director and cast doing some incredible work, magic can be found in movies even if answers might not be as readily available or in as much supply. On a scale of 1-5 I give Twelve Monkeys a solid 4 out of 5.
