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IMDb > Twelve Monkeys (1995)
Twelve Monkeys
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Twelve Monkeys (1995) More at IMDbPro »

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Twelve Monkeys (1995) -- 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.
Twelve Monkeys (1995) -- 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.

Overview

User Rating:
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Up 13% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Terry Gilliam
Writers (WGA):
Chris Marker (film La Jetée)
David Webb Peoples (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Twelve Monkeys on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
5 January 1996 (USA) more
Tagline:
The future is history. more
Plot:
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 8 nominations more
User Comments:
So you're telling me those people in the mental institution are... crazy? more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Joseph Melito ... Young Cole

Bruce Willis ... James Cole

Jon Seda ... Jose
Michael Chance ... Scarface

Vernon Campbell ... Tiny
H. Michael Walls ... Botanist
Bob Adrian ... Geologist

Simon Jones ... Zoologist
Carol Florence ... Astrophysicist
Bill Raymond ... Microbiologist
Ernest Abuba ... Engineer
Irma St. Paule ... Poet

Madeleine Stowe ... Kathryn Railly

Joey Perillo ... Detective Franki

Bruce Kirkpatrick ... Policeman No. 1
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
12 Monkeys (USA) (alternative spelling)
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MPAA:
Rated R for violence and language.
Runtime:
129 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Rankcolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS-Stereo | DTS | Dolby SR

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
When Cole wakes up in the future to the doctors singing "Blueberry Hill," the painting above him is "Valley of the Yosemite", by Albert Bierstadt. more
Goofs:
Incorrectly regarded as goofs: The scientists of the future should already have had Cole's last message from the airport before they sent him. They played back Dr. Railly's message "before" she had left it in the chronology of the movie, so they could also have had from the beginning all messages that anyone would leave on the secret machine at any time. However, the scientists explain that the process is very time consuming ("one word at a time") and that they had only deciphered Dr. Railly's message a few days ago, so they might not have gotten Cole's message yet. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
James Cole: Jose - psst! Jose, what's going on?
Jose: Bad news, man
James Cole: Volunteers?
Jose: Yeah. And they said your name.
[pause]
Jose: Hey, maybe they'll give you a pardon, man.
James Cole: [sarcastic] Yeah, that's why none of the volunteers come back. They all get a pardon.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "High Chaparall: (#2.5)" (2004) more
Soundtrack:
Comanche more

FAQ

Does Cole's mission succeed?
Why 12? And why monkeys?
Is this movie based on a novel?
more
60 out of 62 people found the following comment useful:-
So you're telling me those people in the mental institution are... crazy?, 15 September 2007
9/10
Author: Kristine (kristinedrama14@msn.com) from Chicago, Illinois

Just kidding, I rented 12 Monkeys the other day because I am a huge Bruce Willis fan and I heard some things about the film. Some good and some bad, but it was one of those films you had to pay attention to every second, so I was a bit worried. Just because I felt like for a minute if this was going to be one of those films that I had to watch several times to get. But I watched it last night and I was really impressed, this movie had everything in it: action, drama, sci-fi, history, dark humor, and even a little romance. The actors all did a terrific job, I give a lot of credit to Bruce, during his scene in the car with his psychiatrist, he really got to me. But Brad Pitt, I'm just amazed with how much of a great job he did. He didn't over do his character, who was crazy, and just made it work and was extremely believable. The story was just scary, but very good and a wake up call.

James Cole is a man in the future where a virus broke out in the past and killed 5 billion people and only 1% of the population survived including him. Animals are now ruling the ground above while the humans are down below, but scientists send James to the past of 1990(really meaning to send him to '96), to find out about information of the virus. James gets put into a mental institution meeting his new psychiatrist, Dr. Kathryn Raily and another mental patient, Jeffrey Goines. He tells them the future, of course no one believes him, he goes back to the future. But the scientists send him back to the correct year to where the doctor is kidnapped by James, but he tells her more, and believes him. Now they are set on trying to prevent the virus from ever happening.

12 Monkeys was an incredible film. Like I said the story was so scary just because it's not at all hard to believe that we are not far from that happening. But the whole movie was just great, the cast, the sets, just the whole picture was a great one. It had a Terminator type of feel to it where we might loose something precious one day, ourselves if we don't listen to others. What is right and what is wrong? Who knows? But I would highly recommend 12 Monkeys, it's a great movie that if you give it the proper chance, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

9/10

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Twelve Monkeys (1995)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Brad Pitt Can't Act jjd430
Cole's live loop paradox - please explain! haker-1
television rtol01
No one has asked yet:changing face of security guard? Joel_morley5
Similarities between 12 Monkeys and Brazil cassbtt
Richard Stanley? Dr_Slag_PhD
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