Reviews of The Fountain

A fountain of joy

Posted : 1 month, 2 weeks ago on 20 October 2009 02:10 (A review of The Fountain)

Andrei Tarkovsky is generally called one of the greatest movie directors of all time. Why is that? Is it because he had magnificent writing skills? Is it because he somehow managed to pick the cream of the crop as far as actors go? Is it because he was able to direct pretty frames? No. It's because he could direct pretty frames with a meaning. Every single frame has been designed and well, framed, with an obscure amount of skill, creating perfection. This does not only create pretty frames; it creates pretty frames with a meaning. What does this have to do with Darren Aronofsky's new movie, The Fountain? Aronofsky has reached the point where he can create pretty frames with a meaning. Is there really much more that needs to be said about the directing of the movie? I mean it's more than enough to say that the man is on the same level as Andrei Tarkovsky. Aronofsky's screenplay is pretty much equal in quality. Apparently he wanted to recreate the sci-fi genre, in the same way that Star Wars did back in the day. In my opinion he succeeded, as impossible as it may sound. Unlike many modern sci-fi films, the future part of this movie features no technology, which is great. I'm tired to see how fast spaceships can go, or how effective laser beams are when destroying planets. The special effects, which do not use CGI, are absolutely stunning. It's all done by macroimaging, which basically means taking really sharp, little images of blood cells and such. It looks amazing, and it shows off the best in the ending, which is the most beautiful ending I've seen during my life, and it's perfectly held together by Clint Mansell's excellent score.

The acting in this movie has been called somewhat steady, and people claim it has no variety. I beg to differ. The only reason Hugh Jackman propably agreed to do this movie is because his characters are all extremely different, and so he also gets to show off his different emotional stances, instead of simply showing how much hair he can grow and then shave in the name of his role. I was especially impressed with what this "wolverine" could do with the doctor character, who is almost constantly in pain and torment. Also, he showed great despair around the end as the Zen-guru. Weisz is somewhat balanced between her two roles; as the wife, she shines with joy of the little life she has left, and as the queen she is dead serious about everything. It works well, and she also gets to show off her acting talents. Ellen Burstyn and many others come by for side roles, but they stay in the shadows, as they should. This is a movie about two people in love. Well okay, 5 people in love, and one is in love with a tree. But still.

The Fountain is, in my opinion, the best movie of 2006 alongside Children Of Men. It would have entirely revolutionized sci-fi cinema if it would've been properly marketed. But instead it flopped. Sometimes this is the fate of great movies and I accept it. I just hate to see a new Michael Bay-flick surpass something that migh make people care about themselves, and make them happy. Oh well. Shit happens.

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Quite disappointing...

Posted : 1 year, 2 months ago on 23 September 2008 12:36 (A review of The Fountain)

"There's no hope for us here, there is only death."

Darren Aronofsky is a director primarily recognised for being at the helm of such films as Pi and Requiem for a Dream. The Fountain is an ambitious personal project of Aronofsky's that the director had been striving to accomplish for several years. Nuisances behind the scenes caused various complications that resulted in many delays. One would assume that a production of such exertion would generate impressive results. However, The Fountain is a vapid and confusing mess that isn't even remotely close to the masterpiece that we've been lead to believe it is. While the director passionately worked to achieve a serious and profoundly deep visionary film, Aronofsky instead delivered an ultimately pretentious and self-indulgent slice of cinema that lacks any emotional resonance.

The film may have gathered a congregation of ardent fans that defend the film incessantly, but there are many who generally loathe the film (myself included). The debate has been stated that those who don't like the film just don't "get it" and aren't "mature enough" to understand the underlying themes and alleged brilliance of The Fountain. That statement, however, can also be debated. It all boils down to a matter of opinion. In my opinion, and in the opinion of many respected critics (even the Rotten Tomatoes meter is shockingly low), The Fountain is an awfully conceited and hollow movie that recurrently formulates futile attempts to belie this fact.

In essence, The Fountain is a story concerning the search for the Fountain of Youth (here represented by the Tree of Life). The narrative is broken into three separate chunks, each taking place in a different timeframe.
The crux of the story unfolds in present day. Tommy (Jackman) is a scientist working day and night to cure the cancer afflicting his wife Izzi (Weisz). His behaviour during experiments and surgery lead his colleagues to believe he's becoming reckless and obsessive.
In a parallel storyline, Tomás (also Jackman) is a 16th century conquistador sent by Queen Isabel (Weisz again) to venture into the jungles of South America to find the Tree of Life mentioned in the Bible. Mayan mythology plays a crucial role in these proceedings. Many interpretations exist regarding this portion of the storyline. One popular interpretation is that these characters are featured in the novel written by present-day Izzi. Another version states that the present-day characters could be remembering past lives. Like everything in this movie, there is little explication. Aronofsky wants his audience to think and draw their own conclusions.
The final piece of the story involves a futuristic version of Tom (still Jackman) and the ghost of Izzi (Weisz...as usual) floating through deep space in a bubble encompassing the tree.

The film is a deep philosophical journey, and a spiritual mediation on mankind's mortality. So what is writer/director Aronofsky aiming to say with The Fountain? "Death is a disease," Tom says at one stage. "It's like any other. And there is a cure." This prospect reverberates through contemporary society; a society that desires to cheat age, sickness, and death. As a counteraction to Tom's view, Izzi begs the question, "What if death were an act of creation?" Aronofsky appears to be suggesting that death should be accepted and embraced, and everybody can achieve immortality through the circle of life - we die, we are buried, we become part of the Earth, and perhaps we then become a component of something else...a tree, a flower, a butterfly, etc.

My views on The Fountain are somewhat mixed. I might as well get the positives out of the way first. Hugh Jackman beautifully handles the material, as does Rachel Weisz. They share wonderful chemistry and light up the frame whenever they're together. In addition, the beautiful melancholy soundtrack provokes some emotion and thought. Aronofsky also presents us with arresting visuals achieved through incredible methods. The director felt using CGI would date the film in later years, and he desired to bestow The Fountain with timelessness. He used micro-photography to capture chemical reactions in petri dishes. The effect works extraordinarily well. It also gives the film a more "organic" feel. The atmosphere always strikes the right notes.

But the negatives overpower the film's strengths. The Fountain is a film that never lets you in, so to speak. The characters, despite being executed by able actors, lack depth. They never act like flesh-and-blood humans. They are mere symbols...and we therefore feel nothing for them. We just don't care about the characters! The love story between Tom and Izzi could have moved one to tears. But even with the great performances, the love story seems contrived and unrealistic.

The most lethal flaw, though, is that it seldom makes sense. Aronofsky is too focused on creating art in his visual presentation that there is little lying underneath. A majority of the film is without adequate explication. Too many things are so damn confusing! The popular thoughts floating around in my head during the film were: "What just happened?", "Why did that just happen?" and "I don't get it." If one examines ambiguous masterpieces such as Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Donnie Darko or 2001: A Space Odyssey, the interpretations surrounding the proceedings are thoroughly fascinating. All is forgiven because the aforementioned films are thoroughly provoking. The Fountain isn't provocative. It's pretentious and asks too much of its audience. Due to this, all the interpretations seem dreary instead of interesting.

The definitive insult is the unsatisfying ending. The film will leave you cold. It may seem clever to a screenwriter who knows what point he's making, but it's unfair to an audience. It's almost as if Aronofsky genuinely believed he was making another landmark film akin to 2001: A Space Odyssey. But Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece isn't even mildly threatened by the loathsome The Fountain. A comparison between 2001 and The Fountain isn't flattering to the latter. 2001 may seem like a succession of pretty pictures; however Kubrick had the good sense to do more - his shots are incredibly arresting, and are infused with some of the world's finest music. The perplexing nature of 2001 works so well that words fail me. This effect cannot be replicated by anyone. Not even Kubrick himself could equal or better his film.

The loyal fans who praise The Fountain have now used negative reviews of 2001: A Space Odyssey as evidence that The Fountain is a "misunderstood masterpiece" that will be bequeathed with the recognition it deserves in many years. The claim may seem relevant, but it's wholly misguided. One can find negative reviews of any canonised film. It doesn't make sense that a film that receives poor reviews will eventually be highly acclaimed. I mean, I certainly don't expect Uwe Boll films like BloodRayne or Alone in the Dark to replace Citizen Kane on the AFI Top 100 in a few years.

The production troubles that plagued The Fountain are widely known. Originally the budget was quite high, and production commenced in Australia in 2002. But original lead actor Brad Pitt (his co-star at that time was Cate Blanchett) left the project due to creative differences. Those funding the film pulled the plug, and the project was scrapped. Aronofsky worked to get the film off the ground again. Eventually the budget was cut in half and production was initiated with Jackman and Weisz portraying the central characters. The film's short length probably didn't give the director the opportunity to execute everything he wanted to do. Consequently, the film is a clunky mess. This was reflected in the poor box office takings.

Overall, The Fountain is a film that yielded very disappointing results. Believe me: I wanted to like the film. I had heard many things about it from the dedicated fans. Some claimed that the film bettered 2001: A Space Odyssey. (This is also a film courtesy of director Darren Aronofsky. I very much liked Requiem for a Dream.) I was therefore intrigued to see what the ruckus was about. Unfortunately, this is a tragic case of style over substance. Aronofsky is so committed to the images and nothing else. In fact, the film has "visual masterpiece" written all over it - which is exactly why it isn't one! Aronofsky was obviously so confident that this film would be praised endlessly, and his pomposity is reflected in the final product. The Fountain is confusing and baffling, with too many uninteresting diverse interpretations. This is the kind of stuff that works better as a novel.

5.2/10

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Confusing and Disappointing

Posted : 2 years, 2 months ago on 27 September 2007 11:54 (A review of The Fountain)

This was a huge waste of time and disappointment ...

The only reason it would deserve this rating from me is Hugh Jackman ... he was the only reason i got it anyway.
From just reading the back cover i thought it sounded like a romance but good movie. I was wrong.

I was ready to turn it off after 5 minutes, it was extremely slow starting. I thought i should give it a chance. Another 10 minutes gone. It doesn't get any better ... eventually i must have watched 25-30 minutes without having a clue what was going on. Its very complex, and i understand other people may enjoy it. But surely its a waste of time and money for someone like me who has absolutely no interest in the story and no idea whats going on ...
A disappointment for me, I definitely wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

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The fountain

Posted : 2 years, 2 months ago on 11 September 2007 03:21 (A review of The Fountain)

''Together we will live forever.''

The Fountain is one of the deepest movies I've ever had the pleasure to witness. If you follow it through to its conclusion and are open minded, a deep thinker then it becomes gratifyingly mind-blowing. As for the tree of life and Izzi's book, is it real? Is she the tree? Or maybe Tom and Izzi are both a combined element of the tree in the end, the Tree representing or being their eternal love in essence them.

Guess the main message is accepting death and its hard to lose a loved one. I could watch this film over and over, and still pick up different ideas from it. People will understand this film one day, maybe when were more evolved mentally, we've all closed our minds.

I think to the best of my ability I understand The Fountain now. I accept what other people think because end of the day I'm in awe of something that is unlike most material, that isn't afraid of being hated by a religious or material obsessed public. Always seems whatever card you play, the more stupid people become. The tree she is, he is, entwined in love. Some people think this film is about death or life, that it is sad, the truth is in between, death is the road to awe.

''I'm sorry father, for you there is only death. But our destiny is life!''

Death as a means of life, falls on deaf ears in todays zombie-like society. All in our little boxes or one track thoughts. We want a movie that has a basic plot, simple characters, that forever keep changing titles but in essence end up all the same. Well I don't want that, thats why Fountain is so special to me because it explores the whole notion of Death, Rebirth and Love, not to mention the difficult process of losing a loved one and how we would do anything to save them. In essence sometimes we can't change something that's destined to happen, which begs for the old acceptance and to let the river run its course which remains the real message. The Fountain is neither stereotypically happy or sad to me, in the end its resolute, a simple Zen-like fable bordering on rebirth and love eternal.

The parts played beautifully by Hugh Jackman and Rachael Weisz and the love they feel for each other is for me genuinely believable. One scene near the end where he is looking at her like an embodiment of memories, of realities where the Queen Isabella and Izzy merge, is wondrous to behold. Which begs me to wonder if the book Izzi writes isn't something made up from her imagination but one where she has remembered a previous life. Queen Isabella being one of he incarnations. Aztec beliefs also strangely mirror Buddhist ideas in a ''Death is the road to Awe'' sacrificial sense, underlining First Father and Rebirth. Which also makes me think the future Tom, is he not Tom at all or the embodiment of First Father. In essence is he First Father?

''All these years, all these memories, there was you. You pull me through time.''

Darren Aronofsky is a genius and the greatest film-maker of our time. He is a visionary, and one of the greatest unique script writers out there. Hugh Jackman's performance ranks among the greatest male screen performances in unappreciated movie history. Rachel Weisv is amazing, as is Ellen Burnstyn, and Sean Patrick Thomas. Clint Mansell teams up with The Kronos Quartet and the Scottish rock band Mogwai to bring us some of the most beautiful and epic music I have ever experienced upon thy ears. Matthew Libatique's cinematography is breath taking too making a worthy companion to the rendition of sound. It is so simple, yet so effective and so hypnotic. Jay Robinowitz deserves special mention here because the story is so well put together it flows, and as an editor myself, I can understand how hard that must have been. The three time lines weave in and out of each other flawlessly.

Darren Aronofsky has a talent for looking at things that I think is so close to my own reflection and thoughts on higher things. Upon reflection Fountain is very similar to Requiem but does it in a more spiritual approach.

Darren's fascination with Mortality has always been there, just go back to Pi with the conversation at that Coffee Shop concerning the Tree Of life. The Fountain will cut Movie Lovers down the middle one half thinking it's cult inducing hippy trash about some bald guy in a bubble and the other half truly seeing it for the deep visual entrancing Journey of one man's struggle with Death, in a race against time to try to save his wife.

A masterpiece of Film Fountain belongs with 2001 and even Requiem for it's higher meaningful depictions. Each time I watch it there's always another piece, another juicy mesmerizing question raised that I didn't see before.

''Our bodies are prisons for our souls. Our skin and blood, the iron bars of confinement. But fear not. All flesh decays. Death turns all to ash. And thus, death frees every soul.''

Overall, The Fountain uses each three segments and strands of the singular story to represent and reflect one another. A Grand Inquisitor begins to mirror Izzi's cancer, the future Tom mirroring life going on for the living, the present Tom having to go on with existence. The tree dying being one and the same as the situation of the dying wife. The Fountain is an answer and rubix cube of a cycle, the cycle being death and life. When we see each reality most will interpret these three strains as singular paths of different existence. The only one of relevance linking them all together is the present, the past one being Izzi's mind. When we come to the end sequence, it shows us something mind blowing that's hard to comprehend, and also something that is a revelation of the film's ultimate answer.

It's answer being not one of eternal life, rather one of mortality, struggle and acceptance yet again. Izzi shows us in her book, Tom's past mind set, one of unrelenting unwavering head long brashness. Hence why he drinks from the tree of life he is consumed by it, unready. Yet in this act Tom and Izzi's minds connect future with past, catching present in the middle in harmonic proportions. The answer that remains is that memories, love, death, and time are impossible to fight, quite like swimming up river, fighting against the current, when really you should be going with the flow. With The Fountain, my advice, go with the flow, and reap the rewards.

''Death is the road to awe.''

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Cinematic Poetry

Posted : 2 years, 5 months ago on 12 June 2007 06:03 (A review of The Fountain)

On the surface 'The Fountain' is a confusing film, but underneath the convoluted plot and stunning visuals is a message that hits hard and keeps stirring the grey matter for days after the first watch. Ultimately it's about death as a form of creation, and how a person cannot truly begin to live until they have conquered their fear of death. This year I turned thirty-seven, the age my father was when I lost him to cancer. Death has been on my mind a lot lately and this film has hit me for six. Whether it has a positive effect or not, I don't know. I do know that Aranofsky has made a movie that will pay dividends on subsequent viewings, and I'm looking forward to buying the DVD. The fountain is cinematic poetry.

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expected disappointment... and rightly s

Posted : 2 years, 5 months ago on 11 June 2007 09:41 (A review of The Fountain)

First, I agree with Prelude76's comment/review totally. The plot was quite confusing, and the past/present/future intrigue was ambiguous. And it is *not* Rachel Weisz’s or Hugh Jackman’s best performance.
That said, the only thing that kept me awake (honestly!) was the beauty of it. Its stunning cinematography and special effects are simply spectacular.
Lastly... what kind of ending is that!?!?!!?!?!!?!?! It left me with even more questions, and certainly didn’t answer anything, not even what the complete story was (if there was ever one).


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What the HELL just happened?

Posted : 2 years, 6 months ago on 1 June 2007 11:14 (A review of The Fountain)

This is one of those movies you watch, you keep watching, your brain really starts to hurt as you TRY really hard to figure out what is going on. Half way thru you're really frustrated because NOTHING makes any sense yet you keep watching it coz it's beautiful to look at. You're jonesing for the plot, to figure out the meaning, to go 'Oh, I GET IT!', but nothing... so by now, you figure that might as well watch the whole film, because it is sure to have a bit revelation at the end that puts everything in focus. Instead, the ending takes your confusion and multiplies it even more.

grrr... I mean, yeah, the movie is visually stunning, has outstanding acting, and the theme is very intriguing, as it deals about life, death, love, eternal life, eternal love... but one shouldn't have to go to IMDB forum boards to try to get even a slight idea of what the film was about, and even there, you have like a dozen 'theories' of what it might've been about.

I think it could've been a real masterpiece, if only a bit more of the director's vision was explained. I consider myself a fairly smart fellow, and 'get' most films usually with ease, but this one is just way out there. The 'present' storyline made sense, and I understand that one, and even the past storyline somewhat made sense, although I still don't know if it was just a story that the wife started writing, or flashbacks to real past events. and then the 'future' story line, with the tree and the bubble and floating in space, that's what was completely lost on me. what that story meant, or better yet, how it related to the other two stories, is so cryptic that one can only offer theories.

Overall, I 'think' I liked the film, but I just wish it was a bit more coherent. I'm not looking for cookie-cutter-plot Hollywood film, but come on, director, throw us a friggin' bone, will ya?

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The Fountain review

Posted : 2 years, 6 months ago on 20 May 2007 01:42 (A review of The Fountain)

Audiovisual poem. No more need to be said...

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Understated

Posted : 3 years ago on 3 December 2006 01:11 (A review of The Fountain)

This is probably the best movie I have ever seen. I can't begin to tell you how powerful this movie is. I do agree with the other review, you have to be in the right mood. If you have movies about love then this isn't for you.

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Are you in the mood?

Posted : 3 years ago on 29 November 2006 03:49 (A review of The Fountain)

Well, it's a movie you have to definitely be in the mood for. If Casino Royale happens to be sold out, don't choose this one instead - trust me :) Trailers on TV have marketed this as a sci-fi action everlasting love thing, and well, I didn't get that. It's just a beautiful movie, calm, full of emotions, odd at times, but I couldn't help but admire the acting, directing, and what it is trying to say. If you like linearity, don't watch the movie.

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