A Review by Phil Calabro
2006, Warner Brothers, Dir. Darren Aronofsky - Starring Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, Ellen Burstyn, Mark Margolis, Stephen McHattie, Fernando Hernandez, Cliff Curtis, Sean Patrick Thomas, Donna Murphy, Ethan Suplee, Richard McMillian, Lorne Brass, Anish Majumdar
Had 'The Fountain' been released in the 60's, I can only imagine the sort of audience it would have garnered. Trippy imagery, metaphysical discussion, and elements of New Age religion compose a very inquisitive project from director Darren Aronofsky, better known for 'Requiem for a Dream' and 'Pi'. The director describes the film as a "weird" one, and proposes watching the final cut several times to fully understand the story. This is a messy decision. Although some mainstream audiences can appreciate interpretive film, it's not a wise move to make a film so cryptic that it may detract viewers after one or two viewings. A self-described science-fiction epic, 'The Fountain' is a question without an answer; a puzzle without a solution. Although visually it’s a masterpiece, looks can only get you so far. Quoting Aronofsky, the film is "the most ambitious thing I've done to date and the biggest challenge," but despite this strong drive, the ball doesn't quite make it out of the park.
It'll be a task for me to summarize this, but here goes. 'The Fountain' spans an entire millennium - from 1500 to 2006 to 2500. Thomas Creo (Jackman), first known as Tomas, is a conquistador in 16th century Spain. He is sent to the Americas by Queen Isabella (Weisz) to discover the source of life - cryptically known as the Fountain, or the Tree of Life - which is mapped on a Mayan knife found by Franciscan priest Avila (Margolis). Fast-forward 500 years, and Thomas (Jackman) is a scientist searching for a cure for cancer, as to save his dying wife Izzi (Weisz), while at odds with fellow doctor Lillian Guzzetti (Burstyn). Fast forward another 500 years, and Tom is living in a biospheric dome along with the Tree of Life suspended in space, headed straight for a nebula. All three storylines are shaped around a book written by Izzi in the 21st century - entitled 'The Fountain' - which she urges Tom to finish. The ending, left to the main character's interpretation, is as esoteric as it can get.
Whether Brad Pitt stayed on the role that Jackman later accepted, the performance would have been the same. Thomas is a character so driven to discover the justification of life that his personality and development is completely ignored. Perhaps it was the director's intent to leave Thomas as a neutralized character, but for a one-track audience, that's not such a bright idea. Jackman is an unsympathetic gentleman, carrying a scowl or a frown with every minute of screen time he gets. His chemistry with Weisz is fleeting, and since his role is larger, he trumps his love interest's performance. On that note, I am truly tired of watching films with Rachel Weisz. Rarely do I feel the need to rant about the actor over the art, but every opportunity Weisz has to shine, she puts on the same stupid puppy-dog face and whispery voice. She appears as more of an airhead than anything else, and if her marriage to director Aronofsky isn't saying something, I don't know what else does.
I commend Aronofsky for straying away from CGI to achieve a more naturalistic feel for 'The Fountain's imagery. Using microscopic footage of yeast and other elements, the director crafts a fluid landscape for his galactic scenes. The use of the color gold through the same act is also effective, pulling in the audience with its metallic glamour. The Mayan set designs for the South American scenes are elaborate and simple at the same time, allowing its wide open spaces to bridge open the audience's minds. If there is anything epic about 'Fountain', it is Aronofsky's careful cinematography. As for the story, the director's screenplay runs itself in circles. I can't describe how frustrating it can become to retread the same niches and phrases over and over again, trying to fumble together a complete answer about everything discussed. As much as I appreciate Darren's amalgamation of Eastern religions and the search for the meaning of life, this doesn't really strike anything except more confusion.
'The Fountain' is full of plenty of interesting ideas, but desperately wants to be a revolutionary experience for some audience members. Maybe a philosophy degree is a good prerequisite for watching his final cut, but for this ordinary critic, some eye candy was the only thing I caught.
