12 Monkeys
1995
***½
Director: Terry Gilliam
Cast: Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, Brad Pitt, Christopher Plummer, David Morse, Jon Seda,
Christopher Meloni, Frank Gorshin, Vernon Campbell, Lisa Gay Hamilton
A convicted criminal from a dystopian future is sent back in time to investigate the source of a deadly virus that wiped out most of human population, and the clues point towards an anarchist group called the Army of the Twelve Monkeys. This intriguing and well constructed science fiction story was scripted by David and Janet Peoples, and it was inspired by a 1962 short film La Jetée. However, Terry Gilliam's film is not always as captivating and enjoyable as it could be. The pacing is slow and Gilliam takes a long time on a murky detour in a mental hospital. Bruce Willis gives one of his strongest performances in the lead, but for some reason Brad Pitt won all the plaudits by hamming it in a supporting role.
