Twelve Monkeys
In the year 2035 the few surviving members of the human race live underground after a deadly virus swept the planet. Prison convict James Cole (Bruce Willis) is given the task by his superiors to travel back in time to the present day in order to trace the origins of the virus in the hope of fining a cure, with only a handful of clues to guide him. There he meets a psychiatrist named Kathryn Railly (Madeleine Stow), a world-famous virologist and the criminally insane Jeffrey Goines (Brad Pitt), all of whom have apart to play in the spread of the virus which was allegedly begun by an organisation called the Army of the Twelve Monkeys. Cole must unravel the mystery of the Army of Twelve Monkeys in order to secure the future and somehow keep his own sanity intact.
There are countless sci-fi films that have explored the post-apocalyptic theme, but just when you think that the whole idea has been done to death an outstanding and thought-provoking addition comes along and blows any preconceptions out of the water. In the case of Twelve Monkeys, director Terry Gilliam adds his own touch to what could otherwise have been ‘just another sci-fi film’: it doesn’t so much tread the line between genius and insanity but dances all over it for the entirety of its running time. As our hero is transported back in time, he becomes confused, disorientated and soon winds up in a mental institution; the casting of Bruce Willis for the lead role (he reputedly agreed to perform without any up-front salary) is predictable enough for a science fiction film, apart from the fact that his character is considerably more vulnerable and very much more of an everyman than action hero. The viewer shares his confusion accordingly, as Cole continually questions his judgement and mental state while trying to carry out his enormously important task of helping to preserve the future of the entire human race.
Madeleine Stow plays an intelligent and important character that is considerably more than a mere love interest, and not only her part in the decimation of our species but those of others gradually become clearer as the story progresses. Brad Pitt has shown himself on numerous occasions to be a highly talented actor as well as a heart-throb for female fans and in this he plays up the deranged Jeffrey Goines to perfection; he contributes greatly to the general madness that pervades the whole film, as both Cole and the viewer constantly question everything that happens and try desperately to make sense of it all.
The scenery and props used in the film contribute greatly to the ‘post-apocalyptic’ atmosphere, with the underground refuge for humanity of 2035 being suitably gloomy, industrial and generally effective at portraying our species as clinging to life. The present day lunatic asylum that Cole finds himself in is truly unnerving, and as the plot jumps from one time to another the viewer has to concentrate on when and where the scenes are taking place to keep up with what is happening. Make no mistake here: Twelve Monkeys is definitely not one of those ‘unplug your brain and enjoy the action’ films that Bruce Willis fans are familiar with. Apparently random details are not immediately explained, and as a result the film maintains the pace through encouraging thought rather than providing SFX-laden set pieces.
In Summary
Anyone who sits down to watch a Terry Gilliam film should definitely not expect something conventional. Twelve Monkeys is no exception, and although it has some famous names on board their roles are not what they are well-known for. Despite this the acting and story are both of a very high standard and as a whole the film works surprisingly well. The inclusion of the time travel theme inevitably complicates things so fans of straightforward, action-packed Hollywood fare will probably be left rather confused and bored; if however you are prepared to make an effort to understand what is going on and are in the mood for something a bit different from your mainstream sci-fi, Twelve Monkeys is well worth your time.
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