Twelve Monkeys (1995)
The future is history.
In the year 2035, convict James Cole reluctantly volunteers to be sent back in time to discover the origin of a deadly virus that wiped out nearly all of the earth's population and forced the survivors into underground communities. But when Cole is mistakenly sent to 1990 instead of 1996, he's arrested and locked up in a mental hospital. There he meets psychiatrist Dr. Kathryn Railly and the son of a famous virus expert who may hold the key to the Army of the 12 Monkeys; thought to be responsible for unleashing the killer disease.
Twelve Monkeys keeps every mind human — it fights its subject at zero distance. The story fights on E4/E8 of the E0–E14 reality ladder.
Same rung, same subject
Films fighting at the same level of reality, about the same things.
Same subject, different rung
The same preoccupations examined at another scale — one mind versus a nation.
V for Vendetta (2006)E10/E12 · Science Fiction, Thriller
Tenet (2020)E0/E14 · Science Fiction, Thriller
The Day After Tomorrow (2004)E12/E14 · Science Fiction, Thriller
Children of Men (2006)E12/E14 · Science Fiction, Thriller
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009)E11/E12 · Science Fiction, Thriller
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)E9/E14 · Science Fiction, ThrillerAlso bends a rule of reality
Other films that change a standing rule of their world — ranked first by those bending it at the same rung.
Back to the Future (1985)alters at E0 · same rung · loose
Doctor Strange (2016)alters at E0 · same rung · rigorous
The Matrix (1999)alters at E0 · same rung · rigorous
Avengers: Endgame (2019)alters at E0 · same rung · loose
Interstellar (2014)alters at E0 · same rung · rigorous
Terminator Genisys (2015)alters at E0 · same rung · loose
