Twelve Monkeys

Unfortunately I can’t award twelve stars for the 12 Monkeys, but that changes nothing about the fact that this is not only the zenith of Gilliam’s works, but also the best sci-fi movie ever. And therefore is one of the best works of world cinema. The screenplay is flawless to the T and the ending, which you will comprehend only after watching it several times over and the optimism of the elating message (not the obvious one, but the one hidden under the surface), is just unbeatable. And that’s all I intend to write about this picture - if you have already seen it, you know how powerful and what genius these monkeys hold inside them. And if you haven’t, then you’ll understand when you see it. (24/05/2004)

Brilliant! Terry Gilliam is known for his original and specific work, and with 12 Monkeys he brings it to absolute perfection. It's not every day that a film is so imaginatively and brilliantly directed from start to finish, and that the imagery and, above all, the plot are so varied and sophisticated that you can't help but pop the DVD back into the player and immerse yourself in the cinematic poetry with even greater intensity. It’s is not a groundbreaking work like Kubrick's Odyssey and its nowadays routine visuals won’t lift viewers from their seats, but thanks to its literally timeless story, the great performances and the endless imagination of one film crew, it’s definitely one of the gems of world filmography. (18/08/2012)

An interesting futuristic view for that time and a nice concept of time travel, but not so impressive today. There are much better pieces in the genre, more action-packed and more nimble concepts and here not much happens in two hours. On the other hand, the main qualities of 12 Monkeys are not "during it", but in what comes "after it" - or rather, after the closing credits. I've never seen a film that didn't have an official interpretation of the ending, it was explained by the filmmaker, but also by the audience, who simply hasn’t agreed on the final version. And that's what I like about this film. Otherwise, though, the main storyline is too talky for me, and even Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis can’t significantly save it, so I'll leave the three-star rating with the comment that the ending will be on my mind for a long time to come. A fun film. (03/02/2023)

In the best role of his career, Willis left his acting mannerisms behind and dropped his smile #1. An extraordinary film with a brilliantly conceived plot and a breathtaking ending. You won’t get bored for a moment and your brain will work at full speed. The only weakness is the Brad Pitt’s awful overacting, it ruined the impression of the film for me. Thanks to the gods of cinema for Terry Cilliam. (20/04/2003)

Beautiful science fiction that has everything that good science fiction should have. Excellent plot, nice tricks, convincing acting performances (god, this Pitt!!!) and, above all, depth, as is customary with Gilliam. Unlike Brazil, it is very accessible, but not trivial and cheap. Gilliam's manuscript makes this apocalyptic story a riveting and incredibly suggestive spectacle. One more science fiction that could be indelibly written into film history. Does Gilliam have a patent for that? (26/01/2004)