Review of The Fountain (2006) by Jeffrey M — 15 Dec 2013

The king of esoteric films, Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain is perhaps his most divisive work. It's a movie that is incredibly ambitious in its scope and narrative format, yet simple in its story. It's both enthralling and, occasionally, inaccessible. The film's style is grand, imaginative, and highly symbolic. Whether one likes it seems to be a product of if you buy its central theme, or at least if you understand it.

The film tells the story of a man, played by Hugh Jackman, trying to save the woman he loves, played by Rachel Weisz. This sees him in three separate journeys, in apparently three separate incarnations. The stories are interwoven cleverly with match cuts and visual tricks, making the film very abstract in both content and execution. The central theme is that of mortality, and our quest to defy it. Symbolism is rife throughout, with many biblical references, adding to the film's abstract nature.

The visual aspect of the film is its greatest specter, with Aronofsky avoiding CGI as much as possible, opting for creative uses of macro photography and other techniques, which serve to give the film a unique feel. It doesn't feel ornate for the sake of ornate, rather it looks truly surreal and meticulously conceived. It's this visual wonder that seeks to anchor the film through its more esoteric moments, and sustain its momentum.

That the film is abstract is a given. Its approach is reminiscent in some respects of the more recent Tree of Life, though more accessible with its strong central story. Had it not been for this story, the film would have failed. Yet Aronofsky smartly recognized the need to keep the film anchored. The symbolism does perhaps get away from the story to some degree, especially toward the end, and the film does suffer from some disjointed moments and abrupt changes in tone. Yet, this is made up for by the rich and vibrant world building, in addition to the intelligent approach to the story, which doesn't opt for easy explanations, but rather puts faith in the audience.

Overall, a very unique science fiction film.

4/5 Stars.