Overview

In 1996, a deadly virus surfaced, bringing humanity to the brink of extinction and driving survivors underground. This disaster is believed to have been instigated by a group known as the Army of the Twelve Monkeys. By 2035, James Cole finds himself locked away in an underground facility near Philadelphia. As part of an arrangement for early release, he is selected to travel back in time to find the original virus, aiding scientists in their search for a cure. Cole is plagued by visions of a chaotic chase and a shooting at an airport.

Upon his arrival in Baltimore in 1990, a year earlier than planned, he is detained and sent to a mental health facility, where he comes under the care of Dr. Kathryn Railly. Within the institution, he encounters Jeffrey Goines, another patient who espouses radical environmental and anti-corporate ideologies. In evaluations with a group of doctors, Cole struggles to express that the viral outbreak has already taken place and cannot be stopped.

After a failed escape attempt, Cole is sedated and confined but unexpectedly finds himself transported back to 2035. There, scientists interrogate him and present a jumbled voicemail that connects the Army of the Twelve Monkeys to the outbreak. They also show him images of various suspects, including Goines. A new opportunity to complete his mission is offered, and he is sent back again. This time, he briefly lands on a World War I battlefield, where he meets another time traveler, José. After suffering a leg injury, he is thrust back to 1996.

In 1996, Railly delivers a lecture to scientists about the Cassandra complex. Afterward, during a book signing, she encounters Dr. Peters, who argues that those warning of imminent catastrophe are rational, while the slow decay of the environment is true madness.

Cole learns about the lecture through promotional material and, after Railly leaves, he kidnaps her, insisting she take him to Philadelphia. Together, they uncover that Goines leads the Army of the Twelve Monkeys and start searching for him. When confronted, Goines denies any association with the group, asserting that in 1990, it was Cole who planned to wipe out humanity using a virus derived from Goines' father, Dr. Leland Goines.

Cole returns to 2035, reaffirming his determination to pursue his mission and requesting another temporal jump. Reuniting with Railly in 1996, he admits he now questions his own sanity, as she had suggested. Railly shares proof of his time-travel experience in World War I, which strengthens her faith in his sanity. They decide to make their way to the Florida Keys to avoid the impending epidemic.