What to know

critics consensus

The plot's a bit of a jumble, but excellent performances and mind-blowing plot twists make 12 Monkeys a kooky, effective experience. Read critic reviews

You might also like

Where to watch

Show all services

Rate And Review

User image

Verified

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Step 2 of 2

    How did you buy your ticket?

    Let's get your review verified.

    • Fandango

    • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

    • Cinemark Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Theater box office or somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

    You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

  • User image

    Super Reviewer

    Rate this movie

    Oof, that was Rotten.

    Meh, it passed the time.

    It’s good – I’d recommend it.

    Awesome!

    So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

    What did you think of the movie? (optional)

  • How did you buy your ticket?

    • Fandango

    • AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

    • Cinemark Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Regal Coming Soon

      We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

    • Theater box office or somewhere else

    By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

12 Monkeys Videos

View All Videos (10)

12 Monkeys Photos

View All Photos (25)

Movie Info

Traveling back in time isn't simple, as James Cole (Bruce Willis) learns the hard way. Imprisoned in the 2030s, James is recruited for a mission that will send him back to the 1990s. Once there, he's supposed to gather information about a nascent plague that's about to exterminate the vast majority of the world's population. But, aside from the manic Jeffrey (Brad Pitt), he gets little in the way of cooperation, not least from medical gatekeepers like Dr. Kathryn Railly (Madeleine Stowe).
  • Rating:
    R (Violence|Language)
  • Genre:
    mystery and thriller, sci fi
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Terry Gilliam
  • Producer:
    Charles Roven
  • Writer:
    Chris Marker, David Webb Peoples, Janet Peoples
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     wide
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $57.1M
  • Runtime:
  • Production Co:
    Universal Pictures
  • Sound Mix:
    Surround, DTS-ES, DTS, Stereo
  • Aspect Ratio:
    Flat (1.66:1)

Cast & Crew

Bruce Willis
James Cole
Madeleine Stowe
Kathryn Railly
Brad Pitt
Jeffrey Goines
Christopher Plummer
Dr. Leland Goines
Jon Seda
Jose
Joseph Melito
Young Cole
Michael Chance
Scarface
Vernon Campbell
Tiny
Terry Gilliam
Director
Chris Marker
Writer
David Webb Peoples
Writer
Janet Peoples
Writer
Robert Cavallo
Executive Producer
Mark Egerton
Associate Producer
Robert Kosberg
Executive Producer
Gary Levinsohn
Executive Producer
Lloyd Phillips
Co-Producer
Charles Roven
Producer
Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for 12 Monkeys

Bruce Willis’ 10 Best Movies
View All

Critic Reviews for 12 Monkeys

All Critics (70) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (62) | Rotten (8)

  • This dystopian time-travelling sci-fi is a reminder that the director can make films that are visually inventive, intellectually engaging and downright exciting.

    October 12, 2018 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

    Ed Potton

    Times (UK)

  • While all of Gilliam's movies are worth seeing, there's a fair amount of his designer grimness here mixed in with the cabaret comedy.

    May 27, 2011 | Full Review…

    Jonathan Rosenbaum

    Chicago Reader

  • Neither as visually compelling as Brazil nor as emotionally gripping as The Fisher King.

    March 26, 2009 | Full Review…

    Variety Staff

    Variety

  • Gilliam gives the material a lunatic poetry of his own, but remains impervious to the requirements of narrative pacing.

    June 24, 2006 | Full Review…

    Geoff Andrew

    Time Out

  • Dark and somber like Blade Runner, this sci-fi is a spectacular mess, a convoluted film with too many ideas for its own good, blending (among other things) the virus thriller with the post-apocalyptic genre.

    August 12, 2005 | Rating: B-

    Emanuel Levy

    Variety

  • There's always overripe method to his madness, but in the new 12 Monkeys Mr. Gilliam's methods are uncommonly wrenching and strong.

    May 20, 2003 | Rating: 4/5

    Janet Maslin

    New York Times
View All Critic Reviews (70)

Audience Reviews for 12 Monkeys

  • Jul 08, 2016
    This movie started out really weirdly and about a third of the way through I almost turned it off. But after about a third of the way through the film starts filling out in the story and keeps you guessing about if the reality Bruce Willis' character is living is real or not.
    Patrick W Super Reviewer
  • Nov 02, 2015
    Pretty good but it pales in comparison to its source material so much. And honestly, I just simply don't like Gilliam's direction.
    Kyle M Super Reviewer
  • Aug 01, 2015
    Most time travel stories are hard to understand but this one just doesn't give the viewer any chance of understanding for a long time, We are forced into being spoon fed the plot in small doses and none of it makes much sense for a long time or fits into what's happening on screen at the time, Plus the very misleading name of the film will only be a giant middle finger to people trying to make sense of the plot, Having said that it makes the crazy story more exciting it's also very unpredictable, All the cast were great but I did enjoy Brad Pitts character more than any, It had a great ending that worked well with the dark mood of the film, It won't appeal to many but people that will watch it and can understand it will love it.
    Jamie C Super Reviewer
  • Apr 21, 2015
    Well thought out, though still possessed of some issues, 12 Monkeys is a film unlike anything else Terry Gillam has done before or since, a neat sci-fi that endears itself to almost all who watch it (myself included), regardless of what could be said about it objectively.
    Gimly M Super Reviewer
See all Audience reviews

Twelve Monkeys (12 Monkeys) Quotes

View All Quotes

Movie & TV guides