12 Monkeys interpretations. The scientists never intended to find a cure, they wanted to maintain the status quo? That makes no sense. Why send anyone back in time at all if you wanted to maintain the status quo?
When Worlds Collide is a pretty classic, Earth-is-Toast movie.
Ok this is strange which is why I liked the movie in the first place so bear with me
They sent out the criminals to show they are doing something (excursions to the outside the time travelling)
to warrent everyone living under their rules.
In the case of Cole they sent him out because he was integral for the events to take place. they needed him to actually create the disater which they have benifited from.
In time travel the folks sending people back have the advantage of being privy to a lot of information each time they send someone back. The person the sent lives through the situation in real time but it automatically history to those in the future.
Chances are they already knew Cole’s fate before they even sent him out because they had all of his transmissions sent in the past before they sent him. (UGGGH Time travel is one of those headache inducing things)
Also the theme of the Film seems to show the inevitability of fate as well. Cole as a child sees himself being killed as an Adult as he had in the past. The 12 monkeys group end up carrying out their plan because a) Cole met Goines (Brad Pitt) and gave him the idea and B) Cole’s unexpected attack pushed their plans up.
Cole also created the situation in which the Goines Sr. was to destroy the virus which pushed up the plans of the guy who actually did steal and use the virus.
For all of these things to happen Cole had to be there. Do you really think that he accidentally showed up years too soon or in WWI? He had to meet both Goines and Dr Railey (Madeleine Stowe) so that she could lead him to the 12 monkeys, and Goine’s father the to his fate.
Now my head hurts as it did when I first thought about the ending. The tip off that finally clued me to how nasty these Scientist folks were was the “Insurance” line.
kingpengvin, I think you give the scientists too much credit for knowing what is going on. During the movie they grill Cole for info on what he saw. Why do that if they already know everything? Just for appearances?
I never considered the scientists evil just indifferent to Cole’s and everyone else’s suffering. They see what must be done to keep civilization alive and do it regardless of the consequences. Resources such as living space and food are in limited supply underground. That’s why people live in cages. Sucks? Yeah, but it’s better than being dead. This is why they are looking for a cure. So they can defeat the virus and allow people to go back to the surface. Even if you believe that they don’t want to save the people they would want the cure for themselves so they can go up top every once in a while and get some fresh air.
You seem to believe (as do I) that the scientist at the end on the plane is from the future right? Well, what is she doing there? What does the insurance line mean? Do you think she is there to insure the virus is spread? If the scientists already know everything then they would know that the virus was spread when the vial was examined when David Morse was checking in. No need for her to be on the plane then is there? In fact, getting on the plane next to David Morse actually insures that SHE is now infected with the virus doesn’t it? Why would she do that? IMO by getting infected she now carries a sample of the virus in her blood. This is what they need to find a cure in the future. Now when she returns to the future they can create a cure and go back to living on the surface.
Hope all that made sense.
This is what is so great and also tiresome about the movie. Who’s interpretation is right? MINE IS!! 
Seriously, we may have to agree to disagree.
The 12 Monkeys “hijack” (I don’t think it really qualifies as a hijack, given the wording of the OP), is fascinating. Now I’ll have to see the movie again!
Testament, where it’s possible that there might be survivors but it’s implied that there won’t be any.
Phase IV. A human vs. ants movie where the ants win.
And if I remember correctly (it’s been over a decade since I’ve seen it), I believe that Starship Invasions ends with the Earth blowing up.
I dug out my copy of Apocalypse Movies (literally; I have no idea what the hell is was doing under my bed) and from this source, a partial list:
Fin du Monde (1930)
Things to Come (1936)
Five (1951)
When Worlds Collide (1951)
Invasion USA (1952)
Robot Monster (1953)
War of the Worlds (1953)
The Day the World Ended (1956)
Invisible Invaders (1959)
On the Beach (1959)
The World, the Flesh, and the Devil (1959)
Beyond the Time Barrier (1960)
The Last Woman on Earth (1960)
The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1962)
Panic in Year Zero (1962)
Dr Strangelove (1964)
The Earth Dies Screaming (1964)
The War Game (1966)
The Bed Siting Room (1969)
Glen and Randa (1971)
The Omega Man (1971)
Chosen Survivors (1974)
Zardoz (1974)
Where Have All the People Gone? (1974)
A Boy and his Dog (1975)
Logan’s Run (1975)
Damnation Alley (1977)
End of the World (1977)
Cafe Flesh (1981)
The Day After (1983)
Le Dernier Combat (1984)
Threads (1984)
Z for Zachariah (1984)
Radioactive Dreams (1986)
When the Wind Blows 91986)
Waterworld (1995)
Independence Day (1996)
Deep Impact (1998)
I don’t think Phase IV counts because the ending implies that the humans can learn to cooperate with the new ant super-species.
There was a obscure British science fiction film about humanities survival after a nucular war called “Threads”. The ending implied that eventually everyone would die fron radiation aftereffects like in “On the Beach”.