The Fountain

Oh, man! I was really looking forward to this film, but it didn’t really grab me. I don’t know, perhaps I watched it in the wrong frame of mind, or I misunderstood it. Either way, I got quite bored and all those gorgeous images and shots felt a bit like a body without a soul. Aronofsky has a strange style, I liked Requiem for a Dream me because of its depiction of harsh reality, but The Fountain left me completely cold. Hopefully, you won’t be too mad at me, perhaps I’ll get the magic of this film in a second screening. (01/03/2012)

A complex philosophical allegory? Only in appeareance. An easy key to understanding it is Aronofsky's experiences in recent years and his fears about the death of loved ones. The Fountain is a powerful account of coming to terms with mortality, nicely mixed with a powerful love story. And for viewers who don't give a damn about a statement, The Fountain is an almost meditative and visually sophisticated piece of work, and to fully appreciate it, you need to be in a meditative mood, watch it in peace, in the shadows of a cinema, or at home after sunset. Certainly not in full light, with flash reflections on the screen, while ironing or as a soundtrack while working with the occasional "informative" look (I've been known to do that). I had somewhat overlooked Hugh Jackman until today, but here he impressed me with his heartfelt performance, I believed his every emotion. And thank God for the – forced by circumstances and limited budget – intimate mood of the whole film. The originally intended battles of armies of several thousand men and space ships would have made this fragile film a complete travesty. (15/05/2007)

A visually stunning spectacle with a perfect music score. The Fountain is a beautiful film whose main idea is not hard to grasp, but if I want to fully understand the story itself, I will have to watch it at least once more. Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz (who here looks almost supernaturally beautiful) deliver excellent performances, as does Aronofsky in the director’s chair. I’m going to get Pi and Requiem for a Dream… (05/09/2008)

Compared to Mother!, I didn't like The Fountain that much, but it is still an interesting and unconventional film that intrigues, but doesn't really blow your balls off. A great Hugh Jackman and a beautiful Rachel Weisz, biblical references, great scenes with the Mayas, nice imagery and decent art, but I found it a bit drawn out even at 90 minutes. It's not my genre, so a neutral three stars radiates rather satisfaction. 65% (08/11/2017)

Questionable in every possible direction. At its core, The Fountain can be a simple and straightforward film, it doesn't need any hidden and shocking twist, but getting through its hard and intellectually difficult shell was beyond my abilities. Rachel Weisz is only here for decoration and all the acting skills are demonstrated solely by Hugh Jackman, who delivers the best performance of his career so far. Throughout the entire 96 minutes, he is literally filled with emotions, something that cannot be said about the film. Touching and personal passages are followed by heavily uninteresting and deafening “WTF” scenes, during which you can hardly believe what is actually happening. In terms of visuals, it’s definitely immensely interesting, but plot-wise it’s quite confusing (the question is whether intentionally), and in terms of whether the film expresses something, it’s hard to describe. I am of the opinion that Aronofsky has prepared a confusing mix of philosophizing, an equation without a precise result, letting the viewers, take whatever they deem appropriate. Some are enthusiastic about the outcome, others disappointed. (28/01/2008)