12 Monkeys 4K Ultra HD

Unlike James Cameron's recently released True Lies 4k release- which sometimes looks super waxy, ultra denoised and sharpened by AI "enhancement", Arrow Video takes the opposite approach to 90's film restoration: they preserve natural film grain, and embrace the grittiness of the original work. This is a huge plus for Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys, as the dingy, dreamlike aesthetic and storytelling are only enhanced by the inherent qualities of film. The sparkle of processed "noise" picked up in the 4k restoration ranges from subtle to somewhat overt, giving dimly lit corridors and brief moments of sunlight intense contrast and immersion. Image quality is detailed, and colors are accurate. If you're looking for preservation and nostalgia combined, this is the best version so far.As for the mastering error that others have mentioned over the past couple years, my copy did not have it. Mine was sold by Amazon, and to the best of my observations, I cannot detect any "V2" or "Version 2" etc. printed on the disc or case. Again, I'm reviewing the 4k UHD release only, and from what I've gathered on the Internet, the HD Blu-ray copies from 2018 probably all have this issue.

Madeleine, oh Madeleine, if your into sociopaths with a hero complex, I can be from the future too.But seriously Madeleine was fantastic in this Gilliam classic.

This new genre of "twisted reality" movies includes 12 Monkeys. I watched this movie for a second time when I bought the DVD, as I also have the Laser Disc. Upon second viewing, I was shocked at how much I had missed getting caught up in the plot twists and action. I read the reviews, and feel this important aspect of the movie has not been mentioned. The movie drops a lot of enigmatic hints, a la the Sixth Sense and A Beautiful Mind, as to what is real and not real. You really have to watch for them. For example: some of the things he remembers seeing in the "future", he sees again when he goes back into the past, to places where he's never been. How are "memories" from the FUTURE possible? Especially when Bruce says he's never been above ground before! How can one have "deja vu" after travelling to the past? Even Bruce has a confused look on his face whenever one of these clues to his mental state are realized. Also the bit the previous reviewer mentioned about the lady scientist on the plane. Which did he see first, or did he see just one, and imagine the other. Was he really ever in the future? Is he imagining it all? The movie leaves it up to you to decide whether Bruce Willis is from the future and saves the world, or whether he's just crazy, and we are seeing this from a crazy persons viewpoint. It's done so subtley that getting caught up in the dramatic story, one can miss the clues. I didnt catch this upon the first viewing, many images Bruce see's in the story are repeated, so as to imply that Willis was imagining things, or was he? Also, in scenes where Madeline Stowe is convinced he's from the future, they are alone! If one removes the scenes where he's ALONE with people, the case can be made that the entire adventure is imagined!Also, he says he's not crazy, but he hears voices when he's in the hospital, and he pulls out his teeth, because they've got radio transmitters in them! And the voice he hears in his head is from somebody he meets LATER in the film for the first time. Or maybe he IS crazy and knew him before he imagined he was a time traveller! So did he imagine them? The reviewer before me was left with questions about the scientist from the "future" being on the plane. This is the last clue they leave you with, and it messes with your head. If one watches the movie starting with the premise that Bruce is crazy, the movie is another movie! UNLIKE the Sixth Sense or Usual Suspects, this movie does'nt give you the big dramatic payoff at the end, when you find out what the truth is. That big payoff made one want to see the Sixth Sense again to see the clues you then knew must exist.Monkey's just leaves you hanging.So you can enjoy it on two levels. This movie totally messes with your head. I'll save you some time: Bruce Willis is crazy and 12 Monkey's are the imaginings of a paranoid schitzophrenic. Or are they? By the way, voices helped me write this review ;)

Bruce Willis is amazing in this movie it is worth watching.

Fun movie

5⭐

Watch 3 times still don’t get it!

I really liked it when it first came out in the theater, probably watched bits and pieces a couple of times in the years after, but I'm sure it's been over 10 years since my last concerted beginning-to-end viewing. Like a lot of people, I figured it would be an interesting re-watch due to the coronavirus situation, and wondered if my perspective on it had changed. Well, it still seemed fresh and I thoroughly enjoyed it as much as I hoped I would. Again, it reinforced my opinion of "Twelve Monkeys" as a very stellar film that stands the test of time. I really liked their very abstract yet nuanced treatment of time travel, the performances of all of the actors, and the odd and somewhat disturbing details that added to the surreal aspects (e.g. the occasional inputs from the "Bob" voice in the background). Even the bit actors left their marks in this film (I never forgot the performances of the scary pimp and "divergent" mental patient?). I thought that the quirky score was perfectly matched and enhanced the film, like other classics I've enjoyed over the years.Personally, it's extremely satisfying to watch a film like this over today's run of the mill, CGI-saturated shakey-cam fare. However, I wouldn't recommend this movie to anybody with a low tolerance for "old" movies (i.e. slower pace, more dialogue than action, imagination-intensive).