Review of Twelve Monkeys (1995) by Jason V — 27 Jun 2012

Two things conspire against 12 Monkeys: (1) entirely too many ideas thrown into the story; and (2) Madeline Stowe. On the first count, there's time travel, an international virus, a dystopian future, shades of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," romance, maybe a word or two about animal rights and a few other things in the mix for good measure.

You may need a flow chart to keep everything straight and then be utterly disappointed this isn't a Brad Pitt movie (it's really about Bruce Willis). His turn in the mental institution int he first half of the film is utterly brilliant.

When he exits and the film turns into a chase story with plot points taken from every which direction, 12 Monkeys gets muddled and, quite frankly, boring. What keeps the first half so energetic and lively is Pitt and the wonderfully detailed future sets.

And a word about Madeline Stowe: she always seems to be trying too hard or not enough with a high, whiny voice and unconvincing acting skills. She is definitely the weak link in the three main stars.