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Twelve Monkeys Movie Notes
Significant Characters
James
Cole (Bruce Willis): the protagonist of the film (though some might argue
otherwise). He is an underground prisoner in the year 2035, sent back to the
year 1996 to trace the development of a deadly virus. The purpose of his travel
was to locate the virus in its "original, unmutated state." The
scientists of the future/present (2035) would then travel back in time to study
the virus and find an antidote for the future. James' original ideas led him to
believe that the cause of this virus which would wipe out 99% of humanity in
late 1996 was a group known as the 12 Monkeys. He later learns that
the 12 Monkeys are actually a group of animal rights activists who
plan to release a zoo full of animals onto the streets of
Jeffrey Goines (Brad Pitt): activist and fellow mental patient to James Cole.
Jeffrey is first seen in 1990 when James Cole is sent to the wrong year in the
time continuum. Jeffrey is a patient at a mental hospital and becomes a
"friend" of Cole's. It is Jeffrey who helps Cole escape, and it is
also Jeffrey who is later revealed as the leader of the 12 Monkeys.
Goines is somewhat of a mental case, fidgeting frequently with his fingers and
speaking in short, loud bursts. Son of the prominent virologist,
Goines keeps his father's hands full.
Dr.
Kathryn Railly (Madelleine Stowe): Doctor of the study of insanity and resident psychiatrist;
Cole's sole love. As far as the timeline of events indicates, she sees a
picture of Cole in the background of a WWI photo she had of a man who was diagnosed
as insane (this man was Cole's prison friend, Jose). She then meets Cole in
1990 as the resident psychiatrist of the insane asylum. Cole was found naked,
confused and in a violent battle with some city cops. He was arrested, and
thrown in jail. She came in and saw him, taking him to the asylum. After Cole's
amazing escape, and six years later, Dr. Railly meets Cole outside one of her
lectures, and he kidnaps her. Railly and Cole develop an unusual relationship.
At one point in the film, she begins to think of herself as insane and
realizes that Cole is really a man from the future. At the same time, Cole
begins to think he himself is really just insane as she had originally told
him, and not a time-traveler. To quote Jeffrey: "You can't turn back time,
thank you Einstein. You can't make it be yesterday." The final climax of
the movie shows that Railly wasn't just a friend; she was also a savior.
The Scientist (Christopher Plummer): What does he want? Why? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________