Review: Terry Gilliam's '12 Monkeys' Impresses in 4K

It's always odd to look back upon Terry Gilliam's 1995 critical and financial hit "12 Monkeys" when discussing his career as a whole. At that time, the man had really drawn his own path by writing or co-writing each film he directed. But when he signed on for "12 Monkeys," it was because the script had impressed him so much. Such was the origin of his most financially successful film, which is still heralded today as one of the greatest sci-fi films ever made. But even with that measure of mainstream approval, the film's successes are due in major part to Gilliam's mastery over storytelling across fractured timelines and an oft-overwhelming dystopian experience.

Arrow Video upgrades their previous 2018 Blu-ray release of "12 Monkeys" to 4K Ultra HD with a new 4K Blu-ray release that carries over all the previous supplements. The new 4K presentation is aided by Dolby Vision HDR, which brings out all the beautiful soft textures and remarkable production design. The transfer looks very clean, with no signs of damage. When the dominating neon colors show up in the film's dystopia, they immediately jump off off the screen.

The overall 4K presentation looks terrific, but it's worth noting that some people have reported an error where some frames are repeated in one sequence where Bruce Willis' character is being interrogated by scientists. Arrow has yet to sound off on whether the error is going to be corrected, but they have a great track record of fixing errors.

The year is 2035. A man-made virus has wiped out most of the Earth's population. What's left is a dystopia where most people live underground to escape the poisonous air the virus caused. James Cole (Bruce Willis) is a prisoner who is sent back in time to prevent the virus from being released by a group of anarchists called the Army of the Twelve Monkeys. Shortly after accidentally being transported back to 1990 instead of 1996, Cole is committed to a psychiatric facility and assessed by Dr. Kathryn Railly (Madeleine Stowe), who immediately notices something off and becomes invested in Cole's story. There's also the matter of Cole's fellow patient, the enigmatic and anti-corporatist Jeffrey Goines (Brad Pitt), who may or may not be linked to the Army of the Twelve Monkeys.

Again, not enough can be said about how terrific the film looks. Gilliam approved the new restoration himself, and it's comforting to see his soft-focus style still showing up here in grand fashion. This is truly the best the film has ever looked or sounded at home, plus you'll find much to enjoy with the exhaustive features.

Special features include:

� Audio commentary by Terry Gilliam and producer Charles Roven
� "The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of Twelve Monkeys" -- A feature-length making-of documentary by Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe ("Lost in La Mancha")
� "The Film Exchange with Terry Gilliam" – A 1996 interview with Gilliam and critic Jonathan Romney, recorded at the London Film Festival
� Appreciation by Ian Christie, author of "Gilliam on Gilliam"
� The Twelve Monkeys Archives
� Theatrical trailer
� Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin
� Illustrated collector's booklet featuring writing on the film by Nathan Rabin and Ian Christie

"12 Monkeys" is now available on 4K Blu-ray from Arrow Video.