Aug 31, 2003 07:00 AM
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(Updated Aug 31, 2003 07:01 AM)
Most Sci-Fi movies follow a fixed pattern - An impending doom which has to be averted by some special group of people. Why even Matrix with all its philosophical jingo is still a movie about saving the world. However what films like Matrix different is the way the stories are handled and presented. I often consider a good measure of a Sci-Fi movie is how well does it make you think. Such movies usually have a very strong script because it relies on the viewer to understand the proceedings. Twelve Monkeys is a movie which falls under the same category of movies-that-make-you-think. What sets apart Twelve Monkeys from all other world saving dramas is the innevitability of innevitability. Strikingly dark, cinematically beautiful and a time drama which goes back and forth atleast 4 times, has enough punch to knock your brains.
Madness and Mayhem
The movie begins with the innvetiable apocalpyse remains in 2035. 5 Billion people died due to a Virus that was released in May 1996. Animals and Vegetation once again rule the earth, while Humans are confined to the underground germ free cellars. A group of research scientists trying to determine a cure for the Virus, send back a prisoner up for parole back in time to get a life un-mutated sample of the virus. The prisoner James Cole (Bruce Willis) is only too ready to do it since he too wants to get free. The research time decides to send him back to 1996, however things take a bad turn when by mistake he lands himself in 1990. Predictably his situation is not understood by anybody because no one really heard of what he wants to say and is quickly put in a mental asylum. Dr. Kathalin Railly (Madeline Stowe) is a doctor at the same asylum where he is kept under observation. In the asylum he also befriends a whacko Jeffrey (Brad Pitt) who keeps Cole bothered with his eccentricities and his theories of apocalypse.
After struggling for a while and getting a sample of a spider, Cole arrives back in 2035 and tells the team about their failure to send him back to the correct year. He is immediately given another chance to go back - however again travelling through a time maze, he incidentally crosses 1917 in world war 1 to get back to the correct year 1996. Incidentally, he sees Railly at a conferance, and decides to convince her of the plan - Reluctant at first, she starts believing his theories and both start looking for the clue of the army of twelve monkeys - a band which spread the virus - whose leader happens to be the escaped maniac - Jefferey.
As if this were not enough, there are several sub-plots which make the movie more intriguing - Cole's disturbing vision of his childhood forms the first subplot, while a news item reporting a trapped child in a well forms the second. A even third subplot of Cole's misadventure in 1917 exists parallely while the movie proceeds. How are the subplots interconnected to the main plot? - Thats for you to see the movie. The end is a zinger and probably one of best exectued scenes of the movie - of course If I have given anything away by this point, you probably too know what is the end. Should I mention - nah. Think!
Twelve Reasons you Must Watch this Movie
The multiple subplots interconnected with the main plot of the movie.
Incredible camera work which depicts a possible apocalpyse convicingly. Check out the opening frames where Tigers roam on Philadelphia streets - in one word Chilling.
Superb cinematograpy - The movie has a distinct futuristic look of its own. Unlike Matrix which relies on cool colors blue and green, this one is distinctly black and white.
The bibilical references throughout the movie towards the impending doom. It almost passes you by if you dont get the dialogues correctly.
Brad Pitt's superb performance as a maniac - after Fight Club, he gives yet another powerhouse performance as a a mind gone awry.
Terry Gilliams Direction - While the movie is confusingly non-linear, you dont require the head of Einstein to decipher the movie. All kudos to director for coming up with such a confusing plot, told in such a confusing way, and yet making all sense.
If you think that by the end of the movie you are going to walk away having learned something or discussing something - you are wrong. You dont really know anything by the end of the movie - that itself is the beauty of the movie.
The director's sensibilities in not making this movie another Heroes-Save-the-World by keeping things realistically possible. While on one hand you have jazzy Sci-Fi concepts of time travel, it still doesnt cross the border of realism.
Bruce Willi's Sagging performance. He is a total loser in this movie and he depicts it well. Though not his best performance (if he can act in the first place), its still worth a mention.
The zany background soundtrack of the movie - its mysterious, ambiguous and chilling. Its one of the highlights of this movie - mark my word for it!
Unlike other movies, this movie is narrated from an un-reliable third narrator making things even more complicated for the viewer - you can actually interpret this movie in multiple ways if you wish like!
The climax in white, which speaks of absolute shot direction and story telling.
As if these reasons were not enough, there is just one more reason You must see this movie - I am telling you to!!!
Happy Viewing! :)
