The 1995 film 12 Monkeys is a science fiction thriller film directed by Terry Gilliam and starring Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, and Madeleine Stowe. It is loosely based on the 1962 French short film La Jetée by Chris Marker.
The film is set in a post-apocalyptic future in which a deadly virus has wiped out most of humanity. The survivors live underground in a network of bunkers. James Cole (Willis) is a convict who is offered a chance to earn his freedom by volunteering to participate in a time travel experiment. He is sent back in time to 1990 to gather information about the virus and the group of environmental extremists who are believed to have released it.
Cole is initially skeptical of the mission, but he eventually comes to believe that it is the only way to save the future. He escapes from the psychiatric hospital where he is being held and begins to investigate the virus. He soon meets Jeffrey Goines (Pitt), a mentally disturbed environmentalist who may have been involved in the release of the virus.
Cole and Goines develop a strange friendship, but Cole is eventually forced to betray him in order to complete his mission. He returns to the future with the information he needs to stop the virus from being released. However, he learns that the future has not changed and that the it is still destined to be released.
12 Monkeys is a complex and challenging film. It explores themes of time travel, predestination, and the nature of reality. The film also has a dark and disturbing tone, with scenes of violence and despair. However, 12 Monkeys is also a hopeful film. It ultimately suggests that humanity has the power to overcome its own worst instincts and to create a better future.
The film was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $168 million worldwide. It was nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay for David and Janet Peoples. Brad Pitt was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture.
12 Monkeys is a classic science fiction thriller that is still relevant and thought-provoking today. It is a well-made film with excellent performances from Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, and Madeleine Stowe. It is also visually stunning, with director Terry Gilliam creating a unique and atmospheric world.
Trailer
Cast
- Bruce Willis as James Cole
- Joseph Melito as young James Cole
- Madeleine Stowe as Dr. Kathryn Railly
- Brad Pitt as Jeffrey Goines
- Christopher Plummer as Dr. Leland Goines
- David Morse as Dr. Peters
- Jon Seda as Jose
- Christopher Meloni as Lt. Halperin
- Frank Gorshin as Dr. Fletcher
- Vernon Campbell as Tiny
- Lisa Gay Hamilton as Teddy
- Bob Adrian as Geologist
- Simon Jones as Zoologist
- Carol Florence as Astrophysicist/Jones
- Bill Raymond as Microbiologist
- Annie Golden as Woman Cabbie
- Thomas Roy as a street preacher
Director: Terry Gilliam
Writers: David Peoples, Janet Peoples
Box Office Gross: $168,839,459
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Genre: Mystery Sci-Fi Thriller
Release Date: December 29, 1995