11 out of 13 movie critics rebuked Darren Aronofsky’s latest cinematic effort and understandably so. With reputations at stake and endless pressures to keep the loyalties of their review-dependant disciples deeply rooted, it isn’t far fetched to think that a critic’s true opinions could be supplanted by the greater need to align their views with that of the general public’s. That being said, we live in a coddled society where efficiency replaces quality and laziness usurps good old-fashioned hard work. So when a movie like The Fountain comes along and uses elements of light and placement in time to challenge a person’s ability to think rather than load up on CGI-rich action sequences and mindless dialogue, it’s no wonder people head for the exit doors 20 minutes into the movie.
Oh well, their loss, because an intelligent masterpiece awaits those who ultimately stay the course. Yes, intelligent. Plenty of moviegoers far too often mistake Aronofsky’s style to be highbrow. But smart does not necessarily mean pretentious. No, pretentious would be a fantastically artistic picture sans storyline. The story behind The Fountain is simple – A man fights for the life of his inamorata over the span of 1000 years: as a Spanish conquistador in the 1500s, as a scientist in the present day, and as an explorer in the 26th century.
Hugh Jackman brilliantly portrays three different characters (Tomas/Tommy/Tom) over the millennia tied together by a steadfast loyalty to his beloved – a humbling thought for a prevailing society rampant with both open and secret infidelities. And Rachel Weis is outstanding in her performance as Isabel/Izzy, a dynamic soul trapped in an otherwise dying vessel.
Present day Izzy is a woman undaunted as cancer consumes everything but her spirit while her husband, Tommy, spends precious hours in the lab frantically searching for a cure, refusing to yield to the thought of his wife’s impending death. Schooled in Mayan folklore, Izzy brings the past to the forefront through the fantasies of her unfinished journal. It is a world where she becomes Isabel, Queen of Spain and Tommy becomes Tomas, her personal conquistador. Doomed by the zealous actions of the Grand Inquisitor, Isabel commissions Tomas on an impossible mission to seek the Tree of Life whose existence is confirmed in the Bible. The future takes its turn in the spotlight as a backdrop for Tom realizing what needs to be done in order to finish Izzy’s incomplete tale. His home is a bubble floating in space, rings tattooing his arms to represent each passing year in loneliness, and Izzy takes the form of a moribund Tree of Life. He explores the outer rims of the universe desperately searching for Xibablba, the heaven that Izzy so passionately believed in, to reunite once again with his lost love.
Aronofsky takes a familiar genre and molds it into what he envisions science fiction could be with heavy element of romance, clever storytelling, creative imagery, and imaginative perspectives. Darkness and light heavily influence the landscape during the film’s entirety and amazing doesn’t even begin to describe its visuals. They are a stoner’s virtual wet dream. And the score is also a prize in and of itself, which attains that delicate balance of enhancing the viewer’s experience without being at all intrusive.
Though described as a search for everlasting life, this movie is more about the realization of one’s own mortality. It is a fable about how we should live in the now to avoid living in regret later. I could write a whole dissertation on my interpretation of The Fountain but I will leave it up to you to pass your own judgment. It’s like a music lover singing the words incorrectly to their favorite song. Although their lyrical take is different than that of the artist’s, the essence of the song remains the same. That is this film’s beauty – whether or not you believe every disease has a cure, whether true love is a genuine farce, or whether Heaven is a myth or reality…there is no right or wrong, only what you believe to be true.
MUST OWN
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