What is death? Is it truly the end or is it just the next step?
“The Fountain” examines and tries to answer these questions using an anthology story format but in an inventive new way.
There are three stories involving two main characters which occur during three different time periods.
The first story takes place during the 1500’s in which a conquistador named Tomas (Hugh Jackman) is sent on a quest by Queen Isabel (Rachel Weisz) to find the Fountain of Youth.
The second story takes place in the year 2000 when we meet Tommy (Hugh Jackman) a surgeon who desperately searches day after day for a cure for a brain tumor which plagues his wife Izzy (Rachel Weisz). Izzy is a writer who is writing a book about the conquistador but finds it impossible to write the ending. She leaves it up to Tommy to finish the novel.
The third story takes place in 2500 where Tommy is still alive and lives in a bubble with a tree, where he is visited by the ghost of his wife and spends his days meditating. Now I know this all seems like too much and almost borderline ridiculous but let me assure you that all of this is done for a reason.
This film truly deserves merit for more than just its stunning visuals and complex yet coherent storylines; all of these things would not have worked without the truly wonderful performances given by Jackman and Weisz. They truly strived and successfully became the characters. With each story we see an alternate view of the same characters, but they come across just a little differently each time.
The director and screenwriter Darren Aronofsky, best known for his previous films “Pi” and “Requiem For A Dream,” continues to show his masterful use the visual medium.
Many of the films most important and emotional moments are built using visuals rather than with dialogue. “The Fountain” moves fluidly and keeps a good pace. Although at the beginning of the film the settings and actions of the characters may seem unusual and confusing, all is revealed in good time.
I found this film almost hard to watch at times, not because of violence, but because you spend a good deal of time watching the character of Izzy suffer the effects of her brain tumor as well as the way it affects her husband Tommy.
The fear of losing someone so close is probably one of the worst pains one can experience and “The Fountain” captures it accurately and respectfully.
Leave a Reply