12 Monkeys is a bit pretentious

Not a bad movie (solid 7/10) but I don't think it's a great film by any means. It has a lot of sci-fi, time traveling, psychological and political elements, alongside some chaos and anarchy, all of which make it entertaining. But if often feels like this one of those films where a bunch of elements are thrown together willy-nilly to make some sort of non-statement. The time travel, confused memories and a half-hour long red herring don't really congeal together in anyway. But at least there's a hammy Brad Pitt performance too.

I dont understand how that makes it pretentious She overacted so badly I found her embarrassing but Pitt was hammy? It was the first time I realised he could really act. Not a movie I'll revisit any time soon but no, cannot see how it was pretentious.

It's not the dynamic between the two main characters that was pretentious. I felt it was the most genuine and believable part of the movie.

I'm moreso saying that it added all of the elements about time traveling, the foreshadowing dream and the political dynamic to sort of suggest that the movie was something bigger and better beyond just two completely different people finding solace in one another.

I just saw it as a popcorn action flic with animal 'rights' lunatics thrown in for some well needed ridicule. I liked it but maybe I missed something because I just dont like those loons.

thats a odd critique for this particular film. Could you elaborate more specifically on this statement about the film.

"often feels like this one of those films where a bunch of elements are thrown together willy-nilly to make some sort of non-statement"