The morals of society have evolved since the transcription of the first mythological tales. Modern man has allegedly moved passed unfairness and prejudice. The present day as depicted in 12 Monkeys, does not demonstrate this change for the better. When Cole visits the present for the first time he is forcefully and violently arrested. Cole is beaten during the police interrogation and taken to a mental institution for the criminally insane. The facility is dirty, dark and run by incompetent administrators. When Cole at last escapes captivity, he and Dr. Railly find themselves on the garbage strewn streets of Baltimore. The modern world is portrayed as cruel and inhospitable. This is much the same way the Earth is described in Genesis and Metamorphoses before the flood and the need for the cleansing of society. The warning in the Book
…show more content…
The theme (or message) of a movie is intended to evoke an emotional response from the viewer. The audience is meant to empathize with the actors on screen and contemplate personal feelings or memories. When explaining the impact of disaster movies on the human psyche, author David Annan explains in his work Catastrophe! The End in the Cinema, "What is common to all these films is that the superhero always wins against all odds, and the audiences feel that somewhere, somehow, their superego or dream man is protecting them from the worst that can happen” (Annan 97). In 12 Monkeys, the character of Cole becomes the hero almost begrudgingly. Despite the obstacles he faces and his outwardly psychotic behavior, the visits to the past have a positive effect on the future. Cole’s actions gather enough information for the scientists of the future to isolate the virus. His actions resonate through past, present and future. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, Cole becomes the hero of the film and has achieved a
The theme (or message) of a movie is intended to evoke an emotional response from the viewer. The audience is meant to empathize with the actors on screen and contemplate personal feelings or memories. When explaining the impact of disaster movies on the human psyche, author David Annan explains in his work Catastrophe! The End in the Cinema, "What is common to all these films is that the superhero always wins against all odds, and the audiences feel that somewhere, somehow, their superego or dream man is protecting them from the worst that can happen” (Annan 97). In 12 Monkeys, the character of Cole becomes the hero almost begrudgingly. Despite the obstacles he faces and his outwardly psychotic behavior, the visits to the past have a positive effect on the future. Cole’s actions gather enough information for the scientists of the future to isolate the virus. His actions resonate through past, present and future. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, Cole becomes the hero of the film and has achieved a