Twelve Monkeys
User Score
8.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 93 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 83 out of 93
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 93
  3. Negative: 5 out of 93

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  1. KyleA.
    Mar 7, 2005
    10
    Brilliant. Probably Gilliam's best non-Python film, although his earlier, independent works are his most visually appealing. Truly one of the greatest directors of all time.
  2. timr.
    Feb 4, 2009
    10
    Thought provoking.
  3. DaveN.
    Aug 26, 2005
    10
    "12 Monkeys" is a modern classic, inspired loosely by Chris Marker's "La Jetee," but taking the concepts therein to a new level. This is Gilliam's second-best movie, after "Brazil," but it's still head and shoulders above 90% of the stuff out there. A thought-provoking script, fine acting, wonderful visuals ... "12 Monkeys" has it all.
  4. BrandonS.
    Feb 5, 2007
    10
    Thoroughly enjoyable time travel movie.
  5. Mike
    Feb 14, 2005
    10
    Finally a SMART sci fi/thriller movie!
  6. OrenK.
    Sep 16, 2005
    10
    Undoubtably the best time travel film I've ever seen. Highly enjoyable.
  7. NeilJ.
    Jul 15, 2008
    10
    When 12 Monkeys was released, it was hyped as: 'Bruce Willis is in a madhouse! Is he really crazy?' Buzz was mostly negative, but with a few enthusiastic endorsements. Since that is usually the sign of crap-- the rare endorsement almost always a shilly affair-- I stayed away. Well, I just watched this movie because it was a monthly freebie on digital cable. I'm here to say that 12 Monkeys is a fine movie, and I really enjoyed it. Most 'good' thrillers and time-travel films have clues that you need to look for on the second viewing if you want to know what happened, if you really want to find out why the film was 'good'. Or, the 'good' film shows you directly, in a big reveal, so that no explanations are necessary for anyone with an IQ over 80. 12 Monkeys, however, if you are intelligent, puts everything right in front of the (observant) viewer's face and doesn't play any tricks; there's no filmmaker dishonesty or bait and switch involved, which is incredibly refreshing. Willis and Stowe are quite good together; their growing intimacy is convincing, and their relationship becomes the non-cheesy center of a sci-fi time-travel film. (Not to sound too creepy, but the many close-ups of Stowe's lovely face were not at all unpleasant; her transformation from concerned psychiatric professional to a modern Cassandra with her hair down is a real pleasure to watch.) The film's major, glaring flaw is Brad Pitt, who is so over-the-top and verbose in his role as a certifiable ingrate gazillionaire scientist's son, that one wonders how much better a film it would have been without him. His manic and too-clever by-half exposition doesn't seem to disturb Willis, yet Willis (apparently like Gilliam) could not reign him in. Art direction of 'the future' is where 12 Monkeys seems most like a Gilliam film-- the environment of the survivors on a post-apocalyptic Earth looks something like something from Time Bandits, with modern technology apparently cobbled out of chain-link fencing, old TVs, 50s-era medical instruments and the guts of grandfather clocks. Willis' performance is weakest after his transformation (which I won't spoil); he is simply too contrite; a lighter touch would have been much more powerful. Anyway, this review is getting long. If you've always thought of 12 Monkeys as a cheap sci-fi thriller starring Bruce Willis that nobody really remembers or cares much about, I suggest that you watch it. I promise that you will be pleasantly surprised.… Expand
  8. [Anonymous]
    Nov 17, 2005
    10
    Top movie definately in my top 20. Well acted, well directed and an interesting and well told stoy.
  9. OneWhoKnows
    Aug 25, 2010
    10
    Since I see most reviews are spot on here, I will simply say "ditto".

    ALSO, another in a long line of my favorite movies that require you to THINK! (A lost concept in movie making). IT IS BRILLIANT!!!
  10. iluvmovies
    Jan 14, 2011
    10
    This movie is amazing. It leaves your mind in a twist wondering what happened. Great acting by Bruce Willis. Great directing. But the best part is the story line! Truly original. It shows the flaws in time travel very very well!
  11. chandutt
    Mar 23, 2011
    10
    As a 56 yr old I really enjoyed this movie when it came out and now. Clever people making clever movies is a joy to see. In this day of coming climate change and the very real chance our grandchildren will see a much different world than the sanctuary we presently enjoy this 1996 movie raises interesting dramatic points for the 2011 audiences.
  12. CobaltBlue
    Apr 27, 2013
    10
    An endlessly entertaining, head-twisting sci-fi time travel tale directed by the great Terry Gilliam so everything is off-kilter. Bruce Willis' and Brad Pitt's best career performances. Truly amazing ending. One of my favorite movies ever.
  13. tarcotti
    Mar 20, 2012
    10
    I love this film, its artistic enough to be slightly confusing and has fantastic visuals and eerie music. A note to Max P...if its too confusing then, you just aren't bright enough to understand it. And really, its not hard to understand at all. Not if you watch it all the way through.
  14. Bobbo
    Aug 1, 2012
    10
    12 Monkeys is the 2nd best science fiction; #1 being Bladerunner. A highly imaginative movie with a heart crushing ending. This will be around my 6th watching through and you notice something new every time. For example, this time I noticed that each inmate in the future had plastic pouch stapled to their prisoner uniform shirt, for identification.
  15. JimmiH.
    Apr 7, 2004
    9
    A favourite of mine. Mad hallucinations and reality are hard to tell apart, and soon you find yourself just as lost and confused as the main character. Has similarities with 'Training Day,' only better. Excellent plot.
  16. ApocalypseBrown
    May 20, 2009
    9
    I'm rating this movie a nine because at the time of release, it was definitely one of the cleverest movies made. Yes it was a little too long and over-pedantic, but all the actors put a good shift in. Great movie, Empire magazine also agrees with me.
  17. raVen
    Apr 11, 2004
    9
    (8.75) Brad Pitt really is an actor. There's just no mistaking it. And Gilliam chalks another one up for the non-Cleese Post-Pythonites. Like 'Unbreakable,' the story defiantly finds greatness in spite of Bruce Willis.
  18. konk
    Jul 2, 2011
    9
    One of my favourite time-travelling based sci-fi movies (Together with "Back to the future" being the funny approach); with a very catching end (a "real" end, considering many actual movie endings which are more like "stop filming, because time is up")
  19. EssenceOfSugar
    Oct 27, 2012
    9
    A very touching and thought-provoking film surprisingly made by Terry Gilliam, one of the people behind Monty Python. The insight and themes surrounding this brilliant science-fiction film have depicted that somehow we ourselves are unsure of what is real and what is not. Each actor has their own creative part to play, and despite what you may think, with all the life-threatening and time-travel twists to get your head around, it will end up having a real impact on you, thinking about the real issues that are actually quite close to home.… Expand
  20. chads.
    Aug 12, 2007
    8
    The best time travel movie i have ever seen. very interesting, well acted, and an overall entertaining and good movie. Pick it up.
  21. CritiqueGirl
    Mar 1, 2011
    8
    This was science fiction time travel at its best. I am not a fan of Brad Pitt but he portrayed a mentally ill man very well. Bruce Willis is also not one of my favorite actors but he also did a great job as a reluctant pawn of scientists. Great plot.
  22. aNaN_
    Jul 6, 2012
    8
    just recently had the chance to watch this movie. This was an awesome time travel movie, especially the conclusion. The actors have also done justice to their roles. Altogether a neatly put sci-fi thriller
  23. EveningSun
    Jun 2, 2004
    7
    A smart and interesting sci-fi thriller with a fair amount of twists and surprises. What this clever thriller lacks, however, is the ability to entertain the viewers long enough for them to witness the spectacular conclusion. But to sum it up, 12 Monkeys is a trip worth taking.
  24. KarthXLR
    Oct 22, 2010
    7
    I loved this movie up until the unsatisfactory ending. It's not bad at all, it's just not what I wanted. Willis' acting is completely natural in this movie for how out-of-place his character is. Brad Pitt is excellent in his role, he nails it perfectly. The music is mainly just reconstructions of the hypnotically enticing theme to the film, but overall is silent aside from a few classic songs. The plot is a bit confusing at times, but if you can get your head wrapped around the idea of it, it's really interesting. I recommend it for people who like Sci-Fi as well as good thrillers. Check it out.… Expand
  25. 796712
    Jan 11, 2011
    6
    was a good film really enjoyed it i loved allot of things about it i loved the cinematography and the ending would highly reccomend ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
  26. RoyT.
    Apr 24, 2008
    5
    An impressing achievement of filmmaking for Mr Gilliam, as well as very cool acting by Brad Pitt. there are some people who will find this clever "complex" and just totally a good film all around. i am definately not one of them. i found it confusing, sadly boring - and yes - a bit too long. i ended up feeling dizzy with a headache at the end. Despite this, there are some aspects of the film i felt intrigued by, such as in the beginning with Bruce walking around in the suit, or Pitt dressed in the tux in the fancy mansion watching Bruces character run off - it was cool to with the scientist scenes talking to bruce. as the film progresses, i felt it lacked entertainment for my taste. i am completely mixed opinioned on this movie. The Mental Hospital scenes were cool, but Mr Pitts last few scenes dragged in ultra dialogy nonsense that just gave me a headache. Sorry Mr Gilliam, your a good director, but 12 monkeys isn't my cup of tea.… Expand
  27. TomK.
    May 2, 2007
    4
    Maybe if I saw this movie 10 years ago, I would appreciate it more, but the time travel philosophy in this movie was absolutely pointless. Everything was very predictable, nothing intriguing and wow factor that hits you. And when it does in the last 10 min, you realize the absurdity of the movie. It's just another time travel paradox, an endless cycle of trying to change the future, yet whatever you do, that exact future is coming. The movie touches upon parallel universes at least unlike Back To The Future, but the looping cycle is flawed. I really like time travel movies, and so I thought this movie had a complex, fresh, imaginative, thought on time travel, but yet it's nothing you haven't thought about. I did like the psychological part of time travelling however, and the acting was well, mostly by Brad.… Expand
  28. MaxP.
    Jul 10, 2007
    2
    This film was both too confusing and broing and as for the ending, its a joke, pathetic. if you are going to find out who the killer is then make it a big character not some ginger haired idiot.....A failure for Gilliam, on a kinder note the only reason i give this a 2 is for Brad Pitts unbelievable acting, his best peice to date, too bad the movie was rubbish!

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
74 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marc Savlov
    100
    Gilliam keeps the audience guessing, and in doing so creates a startlingly effective rumination on the nature of sanity and madness cloaked in the shroud of a sci-fi thriller.
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  2. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Jonathan Rosenbaum
    60
    Brad Pitt has fun with his secondary part as a pontificating lunatic, but I wish I'd enjoyed the rest of the cast more.
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  3. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    75
    Any laughs that it inspires will be very hollow. It's more of a celebration of madness and doom, with a hero who tries to prevail against the chaos of his condition, and is inadequate.
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