Review of The Fountain (2006) by Mike D — 28 Dec 2012

How far would you go to save a loved one? This is the weighted question at the center of Darren Aronofsky's much overlooked 'The Fountain,' which finds Hugh Jackman portraying a physician who is conducting clinical testing of an experimental compound in the hopes that it can be developed into a treatment to cure his dying wife's (Rachel Weisz) brain cancer.

Throughout the film, the audience is taken through the nearly finished novel that shares a namesake with the film and is authored by Weisz's character. The way the Spanish conquistador in search of the Tree of Life plot of the novel intertwines with reality is very well done, and the cinematic artistry is noteworthy, as it is often difficult to definitively tell which storyline is being followed at any given time.

As for the acting performances, Jackman and Weisz are impressive, especially considering sci-fi/fantasy are not usually considered to be their "elements." Additionally, Aronofsky does as close to a masterful job as possible, considering 'Fountain' was produced for just $35 million.

In the absence of jaw-dropping special effects, 'Fountain' relies heavily on plot, which actually works to its advantage, and the film is defined by its score. Although there are many more memorable films in this genre of late, 'The Fountain' is a solid entry for the aforementioned reasons.