The film Text copyright Filmverdict 2006-2007. Any film stills are copyright of their respective owners. Used without permission, sorry!
The Fountain is proof that there is still originality in the film business. It's completely unique and defies categorisation. Due to this I came out of the cinema not really knowing what to make of it. I quite enjoyed it simply because it was so unlike anything I had ever seen before that I was just curious to where it was leading. By the time the credits rolled, I was fairly satisfied, but to a degree thought that it felt slightly incomplete. The film spans three time frames: 1500, following a Spanish conquistador; present day, following a doctor trying to find a cure for cancer in order to save his wife; and (according to the poster) 2500, following a man floating through space with a tree, inside a giant bubble. I found the parts set in 1500 the most interesting. Most of the story occurs in the present day section, and this is quite engrossing too. I have to admit, though, I didn't quite understand the part apparently set in 2500 (the time frame is left ambiguous, as with a lot else in the film). Is it real? Is it imaginary? Is it a metaphor for something? What's going on? I can't criticise the film for not providing all the answers - Aronofsky deliberately leaves it wide open to interpretation - but I guess I just didn't really like the concept of this part. The film has been compared to 2001: A Space Odyssey in that it shuns convention and has a rather unusual narrative; well, for one thing, The Fountain certainly leaves you with the same sense of bewilderment that Kubrick's classic did. Another feature it shares is some stunning cinematography; many shots from the film could be framed and hung on a wall. Clint Mansell's distinctive rhythmic score contributes a lot too, and its lack of an Oscar nomination is surprising, as many fans have pointed out. I found the film fairly moving, although its inaccessibility distanced me from it. Certainly the performances are very good, particularly by Hugh Jackman. I had expected the film to be a love it or hate it affair, but I fall somewhere in the middle: I liked it, but don't imagine myself watching it again any time soon. I might buy the soundtrack though.
The summary
The Fountain is commendable for its innovation. It's certainly unusual, which is both a plus and a minus. I liked it, but I didn't find it as involving as I had hoped.
