A Touch of "Gilliam Noir"

Rating: 8/10 (28 July 2001)

In the world of the mind and in the realm of the imagination, anything is possible-- even the ability to transport someone through time. So suspend your disbelief for awhile, check it at the door, and launch yourself into `12 Monkeys,' an adventure directed by Terry Gilliam that takes you into the past by way of the future. It begins sometime in the near future, a time in which the inhabitants of the Earth are forced to live underground, having been driven there in 1996, when a deadly virus was intentionally released into the atmosphere rendering the air unbreathable and ultimately killing five billion people. Now scientists believe they have attained the capability of developing a way to make the air breathable again, in which case mankind will be able to return to the surface of the planet and rebuild a new world. But their plan is contingent upon first acquiring a sample of the virus in it's original, pure form, rather than the mutated strains currently available to them. This means that someone must be sent back to 1996 to collect data and locate the source of the virus, which would then enable them to send a scientist back to procure the needed sample.

Thus far, though they have successfully implemented a system of time travel, their efforts have been for naught. Using `volunteers' from the penal system, they have failed time and again for any number of reasons, not the least of which has to do with the lack of cooperation and effort put forth by their `chosen' few . Now, however, they feel they have just the man for the job, a prisoner named James Cole (Bruce Willis), who has agreed to collect their necessary data in exchange for a full pardon. The biggest problem seems to be that their `time targeting' isn't exactly precise. They have information that will help Cole once he gets there-- a cryptic message they uncovered points to a high profile group known as the `Army of the 12 Monkeys' as being responsible for unleashing the virus-- and if they can just land Cole sometime before December of 96, he'll be able to track them down. So, Cole suits up-- and the adventure begins.
As he did with his 1985 film, `Brazil,' Gilliam here has created a bizarre world that seems to have been dropped through the looking glass. He presents a future that comes through as something of a subterranean version of the world in `Blade Runner;' a bit darker and with the definition of a reflection in a fun house mirror. And it's all quite effective, especially in contrast to the `real' world of the past in which Cole finds himself. But what really makes it interesting and keeps the audience involved is the fact that you know everything that Cole knows, which allows you to share his frustration in dealing with an unimaginable situation, and it makes it a tense and exciting experience. It works because Gilliam has created a very real fantasy world, as well as a believable `present' that for the purpose of the film is actually the `past.' The plot becomes fairly complex at times, but after a couple of twists and turns, it all comes together and makes sense in the end.
Bruce Willis does a good job in this one, creating a character that is actually quite unlike any other he's ever done. Cole is certainly heroic, but not in the same straightforward manner as John McClane in the `Die Hard' series, or the more subtle, understated hero of `Unbreakable,' David Dunn. And the emotional character development you see in Cole is credibly realized, for which Willis and Gilliam both deserve a nod of recognition, as it's a good piece of acting by Willis and a demonstration of Gilliam's ability as a director. It all comes about quite naturally through the narrative of the story, which makes it believable and very real.
Brad Pitt, meanwhile, practically steals the show in his supporting role as Jeffrey Goines, the well-to-do idealist with sensibilities that are just a notch off center. It's a memorable character, created with nuance and detail, and he deservedly received an Oscar nomination for it. Also giving a notable performance is Madeleine Stowe as Dr. Kathryn Railly, the psychiatrist who meets up with Cole and attempts to sort out his psyche while trying to find out just who he really is and where he came from.

The supporting cast includes Jon Seda (Jose), Christopher Plummer (Dr. Goines), David Morse (Dr. Peters), Frank Gorshin (Dr. Fletcher) and Michael Chance (Scarface). With an ending worthy of M. Night Shyamalan, `12 Monkeys' is an engrossing action/suspense/drama that will keep you going until the very end. And in retrospect, few movies fall just outside of a specific genre or category the way this one does, so for the sake of argument, I'll create one and call it `Gilliam Noir'-- a new genre especially for Gilliam's films (and others like them), including `Brazil' and `The Fisher King.' Unique films that deserve their own unique place as paragons of cinematic achievement. It's all about the artistry of film, and the magic of the movies. I rate this one 8/10.