Customer Reviews

12 Monkeys / Mercury Rising / The Jackal (Three-Pack)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I happen to be a fan of most Bruce Willis' movies. That said most people would be hard pressed not to find at least one of these three movies they didn't enjoy. Considering the low cost of the three if you enjoy all three as I do then you really make out well.

12 Monkeys is a SciFi with Bruce travelling in time to stop an epidemic that will wipe out mankind. Masterfully directed it has a surreal feel to it but you find yourelf drawn into it. Includes great parts by Madeline Stowe and Brad Pitt.

Mercury Rising has Bruce protecting an autistic child that solves a code in a puzzle from a company that will stop at nothing to ensure it is kept unsolvable.

The Jackal has Bruce playing an assassin that is planning to take out a prominent American politician. It has an outstanding cast including Jack Black, Sidney Poitier, and Richard Gere.

Good quality DVDs with great replayability. If you enjoyed these catch "Hostage" and "Striking Distance".

CA Luster

This is a Bruce Willis "best of" 3-DVD compilation which includes 3 of this most action-packed movies of the '90s:

12 MONKEYS (1995) - special edition
Rated-R / 2 hours & 10 mins.
This is a fascinating sci-fi movie with lots of twists and turns. It almost reminds me of "The Outer Limits." The movie is very complex and almost haunting in it's surrealism. Bruce Willis gave one of his best dramatic performances ever as James Cole, a man sent back in time to save the world. I enjoyed the character of Kathryn Railly (played by b-movie queen, Madeleine Stowe) very much, as well, because she added both a sense of realism and continuity. Brad Pitt as the resident kook, Jeffrey Goines, was just all over the place. The guy was a little nutty but it was pretty hot when he pulled his pants down. "12 Monkeys" is the type of movie that will invoke thought and discussion. I don't want to give it away but this is also not the type of movie that is all tied up once you finish it. The 2005 DVD includes the original trailer as well as a featurette.

MERCURY RISING (1998) - collector's edition
Rated-R / 1 hour & 52 mins.
The film starts out with Art (Bruce) as an undercover FBI agent inside a bank trying to negotiate with the criminals. He was close to getting the entire bank free of harms way, but when the place is stormed and there is bloodshed Art totally loses his cool and clocks the guy in charge. So much for diplomacy. After being demoted, Art is put in charge of investigating the mysterious disappearance of Simon Lynch (played the Miko Hughes, the smartass from "Full House.")

THE JACKAL (1997) - collector's edition
Rated-R / 2 hours & 5 mins.
Even though Bruce plays such a violet criminal there is still something fascinating and almost endearing about him. Maybe it's because this is the very first Bruce Willis movie that I saw in which he played a horrible villain. In "The Jackal" Bruce plays the title character, a ruthless assassin who will not let anyone or anything get in his way. This movie is also notable for featuring Bruce Willis' only same-sex kiss. This was totally unexpected and kinda hot because this is not in line with his character's persona at all. The film starts out somewhat slow-moving but it sure picks up pace once the Jackal goes to work. Besides Bruce, I also especially enjoyed Diane Venora as a Russian major who is almost as smart as the Jackal. What's also memorable about this movie is all of the different looks that Bruce goes as the Jackal commits his crimes. My favorite look was the one he had for the shortest period, with the scruffy facial hair and mustache and short dark hair and cowboy boots. Like a fine violinist, Bruce plays this role with precision and art because he is constantly able to keep the viewers captivated.

This maybe a first, a combo of three movies on three discs that are all relatively good together. Good buy for the customer and saves space in the process.

All five of my stars are for 12 Monkeys, one of Terry Gilliam's more mainstream movies, but still great. The other two films in here are not anything special, I forgot about both of them not long after watching. That said, this multi pack tends to sell at the same price as 12 Monkeys alone, which was all I wanted, so pick it up and get two freebies!

Do you like Bruce Willis? These are solid Bruce Willis movies, not great, but pretty good. So buy this if you are a movie buff or a Bruce Willis fan.

This three disc set which includes 12 Monkeys(Dec/95),Mercury Rising(Apr/98) and finally The Jackal(Nov/97),is a nice package of Bruce Willis action movies which has Bruce going from being a convicted criminal from the future to being an FBI agent to being a professional assassin for hire.Compelling stories each movie has but some are better than others.Let's see.
The first is 12 Monkeys which stars Willis,Brad Pitt,Christopher Plummer,David Morse and a nice part played by veteran comic impersonator/actor Frank Gorshin.The movie is directed by Terry Gilliam and here he utilizes his favourite backdrop of a kind of retro-futuristic look,much like his world in Brazil.Willis is a convicted criminal who,to earn a pardon,is picked to go back to the past to obtain a sample of a virus that has decimated humanity.He lands in different spots in the past and loses sight of what is reality and what isn't many times.The virus,he has been told,was spread by a group of radicals led by wacko Brad Pitt called the 12 Monkeys.However it is not them but David Morse who works in the laboratory led by Christopher Plummer who takes the virus on an around the world trip to spread it.The film ends with a recurring dream Bruce Willis has had playing out in its entirety;he dying and his younger self witnessing the event.
The film is certainly a complicated animal and while one can appreciate the ability of Gilliam to finally connect all the dots in the end,it is a hard movie to follow for the average viewer.You really have to pay attention or you might find yourself scratching your head more often than once.You may even have to view it a couple more times to really "get" it.But then again if the viewer is put off in the original viewing,they are not likely to watch it again and again.I give this movie a 3 star rating.
Mercury Rising is certainly a step up from 12 Monkeys.This is a straight ahead movie with Willis as an FBI agent.It opens with Willis working as an undercover agent in a take down that goes sour.He is relegated to desk duty back in Washington,much to his chagrin.Meanwhile a code,a product of years of development by the US government,is cracked by an autistic boy who finds it printed in a crossword puzzle book.The section responsible for the code is headed by Alec Baldwin who puts a contract out on the boy.The assassin responsible kills his parents but fails to find the the real target.Willis shows up on the scene as an FBI rep and discovers him hidden in a compartment in the closet.He takes the boy into his custody and from this point Willis is up to his eyeballs in trouble as he and his charge dodge the government hit man.In the end Willis and the boy are lured to a rooftop under the pretense of a pick up by the witness protection program but it is Baldwin and in a touch and go scene,Willis is able to save the boys life and Baldwin goes down....from the roof to the ground.
I enjoyed this straight forward film and Willis does what he does best in his beaten down cop,looking for redemption and finding it mode.All is solid in the acting department and I give this film a 3 1/2-4 stars.
The last film The Jackal is basically a study in the methodology of a professional assassin.The story goes from Russia to Canada to the U.S.The Russian secret service,The MKVD,takes down a Russian mobster with the help of the FBI.However the mobsters brother in Finland vows revenge and hires Willis to kill the FBI director.But Willis is a spider who spins many webs of deception in order to make his ultimate kill.It is his grand form of self protection and just plain covering his butt.The FBI and the Russians work together but it is soon apparent they need help and they conscript a former IRA terrorist.With his help he leads them to the Jackal and they are right behind him when he tries to take out the real target,which is the First Lady.In the end Willis is finally taken out and the the IRA man gets his unexpected freedom.
This is again one step higher than the last film.It is a smart movie that keeps even the viewers guessing and we are often fooled right along with the FBI.It boasts a stellar cast which includes Sidney Poitier,Richard Gere,and Jack Black among others.I give it just about 4 stars.
Technically all the movies are in widescreen with various a/r's and all are clear and crisp.All the movies have extras(too many to mention)and the discs are packaged with one secured to the rear of the keep case and the other two sandwiched on a flip piece on either side.
I recommend this Bruce Willis three pack and it is definitely worth the price.

First let me say that I am a huge Bruce Willis fan. He is Mr. Action

All of these thriller movies have twists and turns, to say anymore would reveal the movie.

Three (3) Bruce Willis films for the price of one; how can you loose? I have always found Bruce's films to be entertaining, plus I have never seen '12 Monkeys' before; it was strange but entertaining. These films go great with a bowl of popcorn.

Bruce Willis fans know him best from the Die Hard series. In this set, Mercury Rising is the closest match. The Jackal doesn't feature Bruce Willis nearly the same percentage of screen time but still is a cool movie for guys. The 12 Monkeys flick not only features B.W. but also includes plot twists and mysteries that would make it an innovative must-see movie even with a different star.

All three movies should be watched once by anyone who likes guy movies. Bruce Willis fans will want to watch more than once. Getting three for the price of one makes this purchase a no-brainer.

Did not like the 12 Monkeys. This dvd collection is not for kids. Mercury rising is okay. The Jackal is a remake but the acting is good