Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Madeleine Stowe

In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.

Flixster Users

84% liked it

194,032 ratings

Critics

85% liked it

48 critics

R, 2 hrs. 10 min.

Directed by: Terry Gilliam

Release Date: December 27, 1995

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: March 31, 1998

Get It:

Stats: 17,280 reviews

Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Your Rating



clear rating
Share on: Facebook Twitter

Flixster Reviews (17,280)


  • August 27, 2009
    A fantastic sci-fi mystery from Gilliam who can probably boast being a genre unto himself. Fine performances by a capable cast but it's Brad Pitt who really steals the show in one of his finest performances so far in his carrier.
  • August 13, 2009
    i still don't know what to make of 12 monkeys. i've watched it, had plenty of time to digest it, think it over... and all that's coming back to me is that it's weird. it's rewarding in the sense that brad pitt does some of his most interesting acting in it. i just don't understan...( read more)d all the high ratings it's got. to me it's got a bit of a fifth element feel about it which i didn't greatly admire either. i can only rate it as average coz i just don't get the appeal
  • May 1, 2009
    The 12 Monkeys, Revisited:

    The present world is derelict and uninhabitable, a deadly virus has wiped off half of mankind. Those that have not been infecteded are now forced to live underground.

    The story might lea
    ...( read more)ve its viewers perplexed on the first watch, but its also what makes this movie so great, as you can debate so much of it with your friends.

    The acting and storyline is superb, I loved the way Brad Pitt played the bizarro-eccentric-lunatic character in this flick!

    Its definitely one great mystery, science-fiction, thriller movie. It has an almost perfect story line, a couple of intelectual punchlines and the film scores a very high rewatchability on my chart. This movie is a smart delectable treat, and the tandem of Willis and Pitt just makes this all the more a must have.

    Highly Recommended!
    The soundtrack itself only gets a 3 1/2 star rating though.

    Genre: Sci-fi, Mystery, Thriller
    Director: Terry Gilliam
    Rated R
  • March 15, 2009
    Great sci fi movie - Pitt puts on an acting clinic and Willis does a great job. Gilliam created a fantastic world - as he does in most of his films.
  • March 6, 2009
    what if you knew it was insane to visit your own past but went anyway...? bruce willis' best movie, brad pitt's best movie, maddy stowe's only movie, the lists of terry gilliam's achievements here go on and on...it's his best movie, as well
  • November 8, 2009
    This is the second Terry Gilliam movie I've seen, and I'm just gonna say this right now. If you don't want to be incredibly confused by the end of a film, do not watch a Terry Gilliam film. I was fine afterwards, up until the point when my dad said, "so that woman in insurance. d...( read more)o you still think that it's gonna happen?" That was the moment when I tripped out. However, it cannot be denied that Gilliam is a creative genius. The things which he comes up with are fantastic, from the costume through to the set, everything is meticulous and deliberate in line with Gilliam's original ideas. I think the reason that Gilliam often focusses on time travel is that one time period is not able to contain the level strangeness which he wants to apply, much like the way that no room can contain the level of awesomeness that Chuck Norris brings. Gilliam finds his escape in this time travel and even though is a fair level of strangeness, the overriding factor is the way he brings together these dozen or so different time periods and shows the way which they relate to each other in the end. The final climactic and mind blowing scene is a trip in itself, never mind the rest of the crazy ass film. Bruce Willis is great as Jake and the moments where he shows the little bits of psychosis which leak through is great. Madeleine Stowe is fantastic as well, playing her role with such convincing vunerability and fragility. However, they are all outshone by the brilliance of Brad Pitt. He is a miracle of engineering, for obviously he is not a mortal man, and he plays his role of crazy man with such conviction and flair that you would be excused for thinking that Gilliam hired straight from a mental institution. This is a brilliant film which will definitely bake your noodle.

    Defining Scene:
    Even though my favourite scene is Brad Pitt's after hours trip out at the institution (I worship my father!), the final scene is far and away the greatest.
  • November 7, 2009
    It's a complex, interesting movie, seems so bizarre, then everything comes right in place.
  • November 7, 2009
    A really good film with nice story.
    Without a doubt the best performance that Brad Pitt has ever done.
    Bruce Willis is always this good.
  • November 7, 2009
    What an amazing film. The atmosphere was terrific, it was so gothic and dark. I've never seen a film with an atmosphere like this one. The plot was riveting and the ending had a good twist.
  • November 6, 2009
    Il fatto che non mi sia piaciuto mi fa sentire scema °_°

Critic Reviews


May 12, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Bruce Willis, in an eruptive performance of startling emotional intensity, stars as Cole, a prisoner tagged for an experiment that may get him killed. full review

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

As an entertainment, it appeals more to the mind than to the senses. full review

View more Twelve Monkeys (12 Monkeys) reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • YaRaAaZzZ
    September 28, 2008
    One of Brad Pitt's best performances ever!!
  • columbiatch
    April 15, 2008
    La Jetee >>>>>>>>>> 12 Monkeys
  • Claudia483
    February 24, 2008
    BRAD PITT!
  • Aritosgold
    November 16, 2007
    Its good and hard to understand^^
  • gcicchirillo
    January 7, 2007
    I love this film. It has to be one of the better films with bruce willis in it. My hat goes off to you Terry Giliam. I would love to find out what other films he has done. Make sure you watch it at least 2 times to grasp every little detail or maybe more if you have the time. Enjoy this film
  • juliangreen
    December 7, 2006
    severa pelicula y ese futuro no es un futuro ni tan lejano del nuestro,axcelente la actuacion de brad pitt y la de bruce willis
  • GemmaCo
    August 21, 2006
    Saw this film for the first time today... goood.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Official Trailer

More Like This


Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Seven (Se7en)
    Seven (Se7en) (45%)
  • Saw III
    Saw III (45%)
  • I Am Legend
    I Am Legend (50%)
  • The World According to Garp
    The World According to Garp (42%)

Theater Showtimes & TV Listings


Twelve Monkeys (12 Monkeys) Trivia


  • This is a quote from which film -"Well, here's my theory on that. When I was institutionalized, my brain was studied exhaustively in the guise of mental health. I was interrogated, I was x-rayed, I was examined thoroughly." ?   Answer »
  • Which movie has the tagline: " The Future is History " ?  Answer »
  • Unbreakable takes place in Philadelphia. On the wall of Elijah's workshop among the newspaper clippings is a headline "Killer Virus Released at Airport". What other Bruce Willis film is this a reference to?  Answer »
  • James:I'm here about some monkeys. Jeffrey: Monkeys? James: Monkeys. Yes. Twelve of them. What movie is the above quote from? Hint: the answer's in the question.  Answer »

Recent News


No recent headlines. Got one?

Most Popular Skin