Review of The Fountain (2006) by Tyen. — 26 Nov 2006

Okay....I'm giving this film a six out of ten. Here's why: It drove me mad! It's the first film I've ever seen where nearly everyone in the theater booed when the credits started rolling.

I heard someone shout, "I want my money back!", and others yelling about how "This movie is horrible!" Here are my problems with it. First of all, the cinematography is moody, and I get that, but it's almost too dark that it becomes depresssing.

The movie makes you work harder than any other film only to reach your own conclusion without any real sense of closure on it's own merits. This is maddening. But the most maddening aspect? The overall theme.

What is it? Is it a morality tale about whether you should live forever if given the opportunity? Is it about love and it's endless bounds between two soul mates? Is it about the cycle of life and death? All of these themes pop up, but none are clearly designated to the plot.

Speaking of which, here it is (without any real spoilers): Tommy Creo (Hugh Jackman) is a scientist who is working on a cure for a cancerous tumor that is killing his wife Izzi (Rachel Weisz). This is the central plotline.

The second is the story of a conquistador named Tomas (again, Hugh Jackman) searching for the tree of life to save Spain and his queen Isabel (Rachel Weisz again). This story is actually a book that current day Izzi is writing, but can't seem to find an ending for.

Finally, the third storyline is set in the future and is given no explanation at all. All you know is that Tommy (still Hugh Jackman) is floating through space in a clear bubble with nothing but a tree.

He keeps having flash backs of Izzi and the book she was writing. Now that all of that is out of the way, let's get to what's good. I like that Darren Aronofsky is trying to do something different and epic.

This is a romance that spreads across time and beyond. However, the execution just isn't as good as it could have been (or tries to be). The real high point is the acting. Weisz is beautiful and effective as Izzi, but her character just doesn't have the time to become three dimensional.

She makes her affectionate and still worth caring about. But the real star and the film's highest point is Hugh Jackman. This is definitely his finest performance. He brings menacing anger to Tomas, and subtle beauty in the futuristic scenes.

But the central plotline is where he shines. Tommy is a complex man that is so in love with his wife that he is willing to do the seemingly impossible. After 'The Prestige', Hugh Jackman deserves to be nominated for Best Actor for this film.

He gives stand-out performances in both, but he owns the screen in 'The Fountain'. The other big stand-out is Ellen Burstyn. Her screen time is fairly short, but she is fierce as Dr. Lillian Guzetti, the head of the project that Tommy is desperately leading.

I think that she is more Oscar worthy for Supporting Actress than Weisz is. I think that the film is worth seeing for sure, but it is not the masterpiece that Aronofsky so stubbornly believes it is. But if he keeps trying, I think he may eventually make that masterpiece.