The Fountain

The work, which completely defies any categorization or evaluation. What I saw is indeed a masterpiece, which is unique and will probably remain so forever. Darren Aronofsky created a work that redefines cinematography and that the current audience is not yet prepared for (as evidenced by minimal box office receipts in the US and a disastrous distribution strategy here). You can take The Fountain as a captivating romantic drama about sacrifice, help, and hope, as a charming philosophical work that, however, does not try (as some mistakenly believe) to find the meaning of life, but shows the path to immortality and in the end, you can only look at it as a brilliantly directed, wonderfully acted, and fascinatingly music-accented experience. In a few decades, future generations will envy us that we could see it in the cinema and finally appreciate it. (12/04/2007)

From the very first minute, Aronofsky bombards the viewer with an audiovisual whirlwind (a proven collaboration with cinematographer Matthew Libattique) that the senses are unable to take it all in at first. Searching for a cure for the disease called death is an incredibly gripping (the plot), at once cathartic (the form) and especially perfectly intimate (the partnership) spectacle that demands multiple viewings to be fully absorbed. A surreally powerful piece of cinema that manages to grab you by the emotional strings with its mysterious medievalism, the mystical relationship between man and the tree of life, and the dull reality of today. A must for all cynics who see contemporary cinema as too pale. (16/04/2007)

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% (09/11/2017)

The Fountain is a look at three parallel fates that intertwine and diverge, all of which ultimately result in the final recognition and discovery of the truth. Darren Aronofsky was, is, and will continue to be an expert on the intricacies of cinematic plot, and The Fountain is another prime example. All three stories intertwine so strongly and yet so easily that sometimes you don't notice where you are at first. There are a number of issues being dealt with here, with the question of life and death standing out above the rest. In terms of direction, this film is quite solidly handled, and I must also single out the great cinematography (which is characteristically strange for Aronofsky's films) and virtually all the visuals, from the effects to the editing to the production design. And last but not least, the likeable leading couple of Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, who had great chemistry. In short, a film that will probably ring true in different ways for each of us at the end, but in terms of quality, it's an above average affair. (30/04/2011)

Aronofsky pissed everyone off when he got 35 million for this metaphysical and overly personal project and had it hyped as a blockbuster. It's not a film I would normally rate with full marks. I'd forgotten what else to go to the cinema for. The English-speaking Spaniards and the occasionally slightly careless artistic patents in the narrative need a tune-up. Of course, the film's finale is visually and sonically (Clint Mansell rolls like a pig) so... final. That after finishing it, you're left with exactly the feeling that should follow the film. PS: I don't know of a film that uses publicity so effectively for reconstruction. (10/03/2007)