Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25103 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-10-24
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French
• Dimensions: 3.00 pounds
• Running time: 130 minutes

From Amazon.co.uk
Inspired by Chris Marker's acclaimed short film La Jetée, 12 Monkeys combines intricate, intelligent storytelling with the uniquely imaginative vision of director Terry Gilliam. The story opens in the wintry wasteland of the year 2035, where a virulent plague has forced humans to live in a squalid, oppressively regimented underground. Bruce Willis plays a societal outcast who is given the opportunity to erase his criminal record by "volunteering" to time-travel into the past to obtain a pure sample of the deadly virus that will help future scientists to develop a cure. But in bouncing from 1918 to the early and mid-1990s, he undergoes an ordeal that forces him to question his own perceptions of reality. Caught between the dangers of the past and the devastation of the future, he encounters a psychiatrist (Madeleine Stowe) who is initially convinced he's insane, and a wacky mental patient (Brad Pitt in a twitchy Oscar-nominated role) with links to a radical group that may have unleashed the deadly virus. Equal parts mystery, tragedy, psychological thriller, and apocalyptic drama, 12 Monkeys ranks as one of the best science fiction films of the 1990s, boosted by Gilliam's visual ingenuity and one of the finest performances of Willis's career. --Jeff Shannon

Amazon.com Essential Video
Inspired by Chris Marker's acclaimed short film La Jetée (which is included on the DVD Short 2: Dreams), 12 Monkeys combines intricate, intelligent storytelling with the uniquely imaginative vision of director Terry Gilliam. The story opens in the wintry wasteland of the year 2035, where a virulent plague has forced humans to live in a squalid, oppressively regimented underground. Bruce Willis plays a societal outcast who is given the opportunity to erase his criminal record by "volunteering" to time-travel into the past to obtain a pure sample of the deadly virus that will help future scientists to develop a cure. But in bouncing from 1918 to the early and mid-1990s, he undergoes an ordeal that forces him to question his own perceptions of reality. Caught between the dangers of the past and the devastation of the future, he encounters a psychiatrist (Madeleine Stowe) who is initially convinced he's insane, and a wacky mental patient (Brad Pitt in a twitchy Oscar-nominated role) with links to a radical group that may have unleashed the deadly virus. Equal parts mystery, tragedy, psychological thriller, and apocalyptic drama, 12 Monkeys ranks as one of the best science fiction films of the '90s, boosted by Gilliam's visual ingenuity and one of the finest performances of Willis's career. The Collector's Edition DVD includes a fascinating behind-the-scenes documentary (The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of 12 Monkeys) in addition to the theatrical trailer, production notes, and a 12 Monkeys archive of still photos, design concepts, and storyboards. --Jeff Shannon

Review
Inspired by Chris Marker's benchmark 1962 short film La Jetee, director Terry Gilliam continues his examination of the real versus the surreal in this mind-bending piece of science fiction. In a vein typical of Gilliam's oeuvre, the film leaps through time almost at will, which produces uneven results. Obviously a play on genre conventions, 12 Monkeys succeeds at creating its various worlds (all with various degrees of grunge and gloom). However, the film spirals off in so many directions it's sometimes a trial to keep track -- but it's also this very quality that keeps it interesting and engaging. Very much a visceral film above all else, Gilliam extracts solid turns from his actors, including a nicely understated Bruce Willis and a cheerfully (and entertainingly) manic Brad Pitt, a surprise Oscar nominee for his supporting role. Almost ten years after the highly publicized director vs. studio debacle with the director's acclaimed 1985 film Brazil, Gilliam and Universal had obviously patched things up, as they distributed this film to great financial success and a place as one of the leading cult favorites of the 1990s. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide

Customer Reviews

For Terry Gilliam fans
If you're a fan of Director, Terry Gilliam films (Time Bandits, Brazil, Monty Python and the Holy Grail), you'll find 12 Monkeys very satisfying. The performances by Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt and Madeleine Stowe are top-notch, along with those of a strong supporting cast. This is a multi-layered, sci-fi thriller, that keeps you guessing and theorizing throughout. You'll want to watch it several times, and will keep noticing new details and plot points each time. It'll definitely stay with you.

An Accurate Yet surreal account of the future
Twelve Monkeys is an excellent film by Terry Gilliam. It takes place in a future world which mirrors our current world; however, a flu virus has destroyed a majority of the population of the world. Bruce Willis portrays a prisoner who volunteers for an experiment involving time travel-- his mission: to discover where the flu virus was first released. Each time he enters the past using an insane assylum as a porthole, a horrifying chain of events occurs. This is a visually stunning and edgy film. The performances by all of the actors -- Bruce Willis, Madelaine Stowe, and Brad Pit-- offers a grim yet real glimpse into the reality of a future pandemic. I would definately suggest this film to anyone who enjoys good art direction, surrealistic sci fi, and great acting. Ligeia

12 Monkeys
Despite the cheesy special effects and some unnecessarily silly scenes that greatly detract from the movie, 12 Monkeys is a very good science fiction movie.

Set in the year 2035, a plague has wiped out much of the human race and they are forced to live deep underground. Scientists of the era send criminals back in time, using imperfect time machine technology, to try to discover the origins of the virus so they can bring a sample back to the future to find a cure, and take back the planet. Bruce Willis plays Cole, who is sent back to find out who the 12 Monkeys are, which are believed to be a terrorist group responsible for the unleashing the virus. Unfortunately, he sent back to wrong time and finds himself in a mental institution. While there he is treated by a psychiatrist played by Madeline Stowe and runs into Brad Pitt - a wacky mental patient. It's hard to tell much more about the plot without giving the movie away, but these two characters play a vital role in the plot.

The director does an excellent job with the time travel elements of the story, an aspect that become quickly inconsistent and ruinous to a movie of this nature without careful attention to detail. The acting is also superb. I would highly recommend the movie.

Also note, the "Making Of" feature on the DVD is one of the few that I actually enjoyed and found quite interesting.