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12 Monkeys is one of those mind bending sci-fi films. First of all it was directed by the twisted mind of Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame. If you’ve seen any of his other movies you have a taste of his style, although he did tone it down a lot for this movie. It starred Bruce Willis as James Cole who lives in a post-apocalyptic world where most people were killed by a virus in 1997 and the survivors live underground. Scientists are trying to discover the cause of the pandemic and send Cole back in time to investigate. There he finds Madeleine Stowe as Kathryn Railly a psychologist who attempts to treat him because the authorities think he’s crazy for talking about coming from the future. There’s also Brad Pitt as the insane Jeffrey Goines who founds an animal rights-environmentalist group called Army of the Twelve Monkeys hence the title of the film. The story plays on madness and the concept of time.
The first thing that hits you is Willis and Pitt’s acting. Willis is sent back to the wrong year of 1990, is chained up in a police cell and drooling profusely. He looks more like an animal and acts like a madman. Pitt’s Goines is even more over the top because he really has mental problems. He’s also extremely smart and notes how the system is the real problem with the world because it brainwashes people into conformity so they don’t question anything. That’s the reason why he forms the Army of the Twelve Monkeys as a revolutionary group.
Second the future world Cole lives in has all the trademark looks and feel of a Gilliam film. It’s full of gadgets and ridiculous and exaggerated characters like the scientists that send Cole back in time.
Finally the movie plays on the concept of time because when Cole is sent back looking for clues about what caused the end of humanity he was actually exploring and playing out his own story.
All together it makes for a fantastic film.
C
| Additional HD DVD options | Edition | Discs | Price | New from | Used from |
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VHS Tape
January 28, 1997 "Please retry" | — | 1 | $7.97 | $1.98 |
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Laser Disc
"Please retry" | — | — | $19.94 | $10.00 |
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Customer reviews
I've got to be honest by saying that this movie put me to sleep for years when I used to watch my DVD copy. Additionally, this Blu-ray copy has the same dreariness to it that the film always had, but it does clear the film up quite a bit. I feel like I was actually able to enjoy the film on Blu-ray a little more, but in this strange 1990s future trip there is little color. The actors stand out in an otherwise odd and quirky film courtesy of its director Terry Gilliam.Well-known for hits such as these, the perilous story that ensues for Bruce Willis is a futuristic sci-fi thriller that really gets disguised by its offbeat traits. Brad Pitt is phenomenal as a villain/antagonist/companion to Bruce's crazy main character. I think it's funny that both Bruce & Brad have foreshadowing to future roles of theirs in The Sixth Sense and Fight Club. Bruce has a line at some point stating that he sees is dead people, and Brad takes many of the mannerisms and techniques here into the character of Tyler Durden, or at least it seems so.The plot is kind of hard to follow if you stop paying attention at any given point, so it's definitely one of those films that you have to watch with intent. Terry Gilliam is known for these kinds of movies and usually delivers, though he is more of a cult status director I would feel. At least at the time this came out, because throughout the commentary and The Hamster Factor documentary he seems very displeased with the negative reviews from the movie's initial test screening. So much so that he seems to be in denial that anyone could not like the film or be lost by some of its plot and characters, but unfortunately for him it's true.Overall, the film is worth watching at least once and maybe we'll get a clearer release in the future with the popularity of the television show that just ended. It does have some grainy scenes and not a lot of it pops due to the mechanical nature of the future/dream world. I do love that the film is ultimately up to interpretation in many ways, and despite the constant foreshadowing to the end of the film it keeps the viewer entertained via its stars' performances.Case came in okay condition with the bottom clasp not clicking, and a small crease on the front of the case but not glaring. Disc was in great condition and played perfectly. Copy was in Used condition from Decluttr Store.
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Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 3, 2020
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 17, 2022
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 9, 2019
Well-known for hits such as these, the perilous story that ensues for Bruce Willis is a futuristic sci-fi thriller that really gets disguised by its offbeat traits. Brad Pitt is phenomenal as a villain/antagonist/companion to Bruce's crazy main character. I think it's funny that both Bruce & Brad have foreshadowing to future roles of theirs in The Sixth Sense and Fight Club. Bruce has a line at some point stating that he sees is dead people, and Brad takes many of the mannerisms and techniques here into the character of Tyler Durden, or at least it seems so.
The plot is kind of hard to follow if you stop paying attention at any given point, so it's definitely one of those films that you have to watch with intent. Terry Gilliam is known for these kinds of movies and usually delivers, though he is more of a cult status director I would feel. At least at the time this came out, because throughout the commentary and The Hamster Factor documentary he seems very displeased with the negative reviews from the movie's initial test screening. So much so that he seems to be in denial that anyone could not like the film or be lost by some of its plot and characters, but unfortunately for him it's true.
Overall, the film is worth watching at least once and maybe we'll get a clearer release in the future with the popularity of the television show that just ended. It does have some grainy scenes and not a lot of it pops due to the mechanical nature of the future/dream world. I do love that the film is ultimately up to interpretation in many ways, and despite the constant foreshadowing to the end of the film it keeps the viewer entertained via its stars' performances.
Case came in okay condition with the bottom clasp not clicking, and a small crease on the front of the case but not glaring. Disc was in great condition and played perfectly. Copy was in Used condition from Decluttr Store.
12 Monkeys - A Sci-Fi Sleeper
By sixthreezy on March 9, 2019
I've got to be honest by saying that this movie put me to sleep for years when I used to watch my DVD copy. Additionally, this Blu-ray copy has the same dreariness to it that the film always had, but it does clear the film up quite a bit. I feel like I was actually able to enjoy the film on Blu-ray a little more, but in this strange 1990s future trip there is little color. The actors stand out in an otherwise odd and quirky film courtesy of its director Terry Gilliam.By sixthreezy on March 9, 2019
Well-known for hits such as these, the perilous story that ensues for Bruce Willis is a futuristic sci-fi thriller that really gets disguised by its offbeat traits. Brad Pitt is phenomenal as a villain/antagonist/companion to Bruce's crazy main character. I think it's funny that both Bruce & Brad have foreshadowing to future roles of theirs in The Sixth Sense and Fight Club. Bruce has a line at some point stating that he sees is dead people, and Brad takes many of the mannerisms and techniques here into the character of Tyler Durden, or at least it seems so.
The plot is kind of hard to follow if you stop paying attention at any given point, so it's definitely one of those films that you have to watch with intent. Terry Gilliam is known for these kinds of movies and usually delivers, though he is more of a cult status director I would feel. At least at the time this came out, because throughout the commentary and The Hamster Factor documentary he seems very displeased with the negative reviews from the movie's initial test screening. So much so that he seems to be in denial that anyone could not like the film or be lost by some of its plot and characters, but unfortunately for him it's true.
Overall, the film is worth watching at least once and maybe we'll get a clearer release in the future with the popularity of the television show that just ended. It does have some grainy scenes and not a lot of it pops due to the mechanical nature of the future/dream world. I do love that the film is ultimately up to interpretation in many ways, and despite the constant foreshadowing to the end of the film it keeps the viewer entertained via its stars' performances.
Case came in okay condition with the bottom clasp not clicking, and a small crease on the front of the case but not glaring. Disc was in great condition and played perfectly. Copy was in Used condition from Decluttr Store.
Images in this review
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