Mind numbing twist on linear time sequences

Rating: 10/10 (7 July 1999)

Director Terry Gilliam craftily captures the essence of film art by manipulating our understanding of space and time. He rearranges our preconceived notions of linear time with the use of temporal distortions in both the cinematography and script. In a future noir world about a group of scientists attempting to cure themselves of a deadly disease, one man becomes a time traveling "document retrieval" agent. Thrust through the boundaries of history, James Cole (Bruce Willis) must locate the origin of the virulent disease that wipes out 90% of humanity. Along the way, Cole encounters resistance and support in varying forms. Yet, during the entire time he is shoved through, almost experimentally, the framework of time and space until his emotional strain forces him to renege his investigative role, Cole slowly discovers who made the virus and where it originated. ..so he thinks. Cole tracks down the leader of the Army of Twelve Monkeys, Jeffrey Goins (Brad Pitt), thinking that his group is responsible for the dispersing of the virus. Much to Cole's surprise the Army of Twelve Monkeys is harmless and the real culprit is found elsewhere. Amazingly enough, Gilliam is able to fuse the cinematography with the script to impose a heightened awareness of space and time. According to the movie, space and time are just moments that can be entered and exited anytime, anywhere, by the same person with the same age or the same person at different ages who may face each other as the 30 year old James Cole and the 10 year old James Cole. Ultimately saying that James Cole will continue to live this life indefinitely: Cole watches his own death at age 10 and, at age 30, watches himself at age 10 watch his own death. Brilliant piece of work.