12 MONKEYS

USA | 1995 | 35mm | 95 min.
Director: Terry Gilliam
Cast: Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Madeleine Stowe
Willis stars as a hapless “volunteer” from the future, sent to 20th century Baltimore by the post-apocalyptic-powers-that-be to try and figure out who or what triggered a pandemic that killed 99% of the earth’s human population. Director Gilliam’s Hollywood-blockbuster riff on Chris Marker’s La Jetee teems with details that bring to life his visions of a dystopian future and the almost-as-dystopian present. 12 Monkeys masterfully combines mordant humor, surreal lunacy, big screen sci-fi action set pieces, and an achingly vulnerable, melancholic heart. (BR)