10 Best Films Where The Kidnapper Got The Girl

Terry Gilliam's film choices as director have been quite a bit darker than his Monty Python origins. This futuristic thriller is no exception, and requires some considerable attention from the viewer to follow the timeline. However, it provides a rewarding payoff at the end and quite a touching love story.

Prisoner James Cole is sent back in time from 2035 to find the origin of a deadly virus that wiped out most of humanity in 1996. Arriving in 1990 instead, he is locked in a mental hospital by Dr Kathryn Railly who thinks his story of time-travel and an apocalyptic virus is crazy.

Cole kidnaps the doctor and forces her to help him track down the Army of the Twelve Monkeys group supposedly responsible for releasing the virus. The development of their relationship is captivating to watch as Cole time travels back and forth finding out more information and Railly gradually discovers the true story from her research. She becomes committed to helping him and now believes in the man she originally thought was insane.

After they find the real man responsible for the outbreak, Cole is shot by police in pursuit of him, and dies in Railly’s arms. It is all the more heart-breaking as not only do they not get a happy ending together, but they also fail in their mission to stop the virus (although the film ending is slightly ambiguous about this).