Review of The Fountain (2006) by Fernando R — 24 Jun 2013

Darren Aronofsky has succeeded yet again with a film examining the meaning of life. The difference between The Fountain and his two previous films, Pi and Requiem for A Dream, is in the camerawork. With Pi and Requiem you get the crazy and slightly bizarre camera movements and montages, while you get more stable camerawork in The Fountain. Aronofsky still does some great work behind the camera but in this film, the message is more important. One of the best moments, while it is mostly due to special effects, was near the end where everything flashes before one's eye and everything comes together by the time the credits roll.

The acting in Aronofsky movies are always spot on and this one is no different. Hugh Jackman and Rachel Wiesz do a phenomenal job as the two main characters portraying a relationship on screen that was needed for the complexity of the story. Ellen Burstyn and Mark Margolis do a great job, yet again, and it is clear why Aronofsky likes to choose actors and actresses from his previous films.

I do feel that if The Fountain came out much later than 2006, the concept of the story would have been much more accepted by critics. But because of the slight unfamiliarity of this subject, no one understood how to take in this film. There are many different themes within the film like hope, love, and faith. The film could put all of these themes into question and force you to reconsider what you believe. As far as I am concerned, Aronofsky sees the world through bleak, yet hopeful eyes and his vision is one that is worth examining through many lenses for many years to come. Definitely worth it to watch.