Deliciously intelligent and apocalyptic sci-fi thriller...

Rating: 9/10 (12 November 2008)

I have a certain amount of respect for film-makers who venture to create a time-travel movie, simply because of the risk and complexity involved; it is no secret that many of these films are flops due in part to the uncertainties of the science, and the confusion they cause many viewers as the events unfold on-screen. As such, it is difficult to convey the paradox(es) established in these stories in a single Motion Picture as opposed to say, a novel. That being said, TWELVE MONKEYS works because it manages to overcome these flaws (for the most part) and provide viewers with a fresh, intelligent, and logical movie-going experience that is bound to stay with them for a while. My initial impression of TWELVE MONKEYS was that it appeared to be a combination of DONNIE DARKO and ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, with a hint of the deep-lying anti-societal messages (and the Brad Pitt) contained in FIGHT CLUB. I loved these movies, and needless to say, I loved TWELVE MONKEYS.
The storyline is a very good one, spanning as many as four different time zones in order to tell the story. This is simply a wonderful science-fiction movie, with an underlying dark, brooding psychological thriller aspect, reminiscent of course, of DONNIE DARKO (though the latter was released six years after the former; it's just that I SAW DONNIE DARKO first).
The direction by MONTY PYTHON's Terry Gilliam is superb, as are the cinematography and set design, with one of the opening shots of Philadelphia's City Hall overrun by animals setting the dark mood for the rest of the film. The acting by Bruce Willis and Madeleine Stowe is sufficient, but Brad Pitt was the stand-out for me, though his portrayal was admittedly over-the-top. It's just that every time the movie shifted from his character, there was an appreciable drop in energy. I guess even the Academy thought likewise, enough so that they saw it fit to nominate him for Best Supporting Actor.
TWELVE MONKEYS is a unique, intelligent, logical, and edgy Motion Picture that will challenge viewers and keep them involved throughout. The main character in the movie doesn't set about to change time (as is the case in most of these sci-fi time-travel movies) thereby creating another paradox; instead he sets about to study the events of the past in an effort to better the future. The screenwriters, David and Janet Peoples, set the movie in such a way that the viewer gets to decide what happens/happened, and as such TWELVE MONKEYS has sparked numerous intellectual debates, and will continue to do so for some time.
9/10. 3.5. stars (out of 4). Will enter my Top 150 at #123. Highly recommended.