Review of Twelve Monkeys (1995) by Randy Y — 01 Sep 2016

A busy film designed to make you think whilst also developing the future. Twelve Monkeys is certainly ahead of its time and the influence can be seen on mind bending films today. The usual Gilliam techniques are used on a script that potentially was designed for a very different vision however it is Gilliam's uniqueness that makes this film stand out, let alone the fact that the cast members wanted to work with him whatever the cost.

In most cases that was for very little. Gilliam's style combined with the solid a-list cast and performances make the potentially messy plot become overlooked. The absurdity of the narrative makes for intrigue and works with the time-jumping story telling.

In hindsight it is definitely the perfect script for a director such as Gilliam. The score can feel out of place, the emotional development of the two leads relationship doesn't feel deep enough and there is a slight lull in the middle however this is a film that must be seen to see classy performances from actors at the start of long careers and a narrative that leaves questions open for you to answer yourself on either a second viewing or in discussion down the local.