The Fountain

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. (03/09/2007)

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. (04/12/2007)

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% (11/08/2017)

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… (09/05/2008)

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. (05/15/2007)