The Fountain - review

Before the start of the spring semester I had the opportunity to join an optional extra course in my film science studies. It was an intensive „summer school”, which lasted for one week. It is called „Film and English Intensive” (FEI). Our teacher was invited from the UK (Sue Burge), who held the whole unit in English and gave us a great insight in review writing and adaptions through a lot of examples.

It was part of the program to learn a bit of review writing. Here I would like to share my work with You, which I did on my favourite film „The Fountain” (USA, 2006, Darren Aronofsky).

I hope, You’ll enjoy it and the film will get on your must-to-see list! J

The Fountain

USA, 2006
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Lead actors: Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz
96 min.

Darren Aronofsky’s next film after the Requiem for a Dream definitely does not disappoint the fans of the director’s visual and storytelling style. The Fountain is a drama, romance and sci-fi without massacres and flying space-toasters [spaceship]. Although Aronofsky was influenced by Star Wars, The Matrix and Space Odyssey, this is not a film laden with dazzling visual effects, fast-paced storytelling or nail-biting action scenes. The film probes into the deepest questions of existence, reality, life and immortality, and above all love.

The plot follows three narratives: in the age of conquistadors, the modern world of today and the far future. All the threads work up the same theme of love and search for immortality in its own mythical cultural diagetic worlds, with the appearances of the Fountain of Youth and the Tree of Life. At the end the narratives melt in one final catharsis of rebirth supported by fantastic visuals and music.

The production of the film took a quite long time till its realization. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett were originally cast for the lead roles in 2002, but Pitt left and problems arouse with financing as well few weeks before shooting stared. Two years later, reconsidering the sets and casting new actors, the production begun in autumn 2004 with Hugh Jackman (Australia, The Prestige, X-Men) and Rachel Weisz (My Blueberry Nights, Constantine, The Mummy) in Montreal. Jackman suits the role of Tomas/Tom really good, his emotional struggles are very real, the audience stays with him across the three time zones. He gets excellent support from Weisz’s act as Isabel and Izzy. Despite having just a few appearances, her character enchants the viewer by her innocence and beauty, and lets the audience identify themselfs with Tom in his desperate search for life.

Aronofsky tried to use as little computer-generated imagery as possible, which was a particularly difficult task with the third narrative taking place in deep space. Jeremy Dawson and Dan Schrecker, who worked on π and Requiem for a Dream, too, did a skillful job together with the director, as it is hard to even notice the presence of the CG visuals. We get totally involved by the philsophy of the story, the beautifully fitting music composed by Clint Mansell and the subtle esoteric-yellowish colours in light-shadow composition.

The reception of Aronofsky’s film was not wholly positive, as its story is too philosophycal, its direction is characteristically awkward. The Fountain has 6 wins and 14 nominations [imdb-awards] and had a widespread response among the critics. Despite the divided reception, Aronofsky stated in a 2008 interview that The Fountain is the work of which he is the most proud. It is a definite must-see for those attracted to Aronofsky’s style and for those philosophically interested in the question of mortality.