Achingly beautiful and genuinely moving

Rating: 10/10 (21 January 2008)

Firstly, I do not know how Darren Aronofsky was able to direct this film with his partner, Rachael Weisz, as the beautiful, captive queen and dying wife, without crying every few minutes whilst working on the film. Actually, did anyone on this film manage a day without being touched by its aching emotion particularly its representation of desperation felt when faced with the dying of a loved one? And this emotion is not simply played out, but the marvel and originality of the film is seeing this horrible reality explored through such highly imaginative story lines and symbolism.
The key to the film is to understand that one storyline is a present reality, whilst the other two are imaginative explorations (written by the two characters in the "present" reality) of the themes of dying, seeking life and holding onto a loved one.
The film is absolutely stunning in its original vision with dense, poetic and symbolic imagery linking each of the stories together. Certain images such as the tree of life, the nebula and Weisz herself as the Spanish queen, are so beautiful they will remain with me forever. You need to pay attention as rewards come when you can recognise even certain camera angles repeating themselves throughout the three stories, unifying them.
Because the film is unconventional in its storytelling and daring in its other-worldly imagery, it requires actors whom you immediately relate to, and Rachael Weisz and Hugh Jackman are perfectly cast in these roles. They convey a real conviction in their acting and genuinely seem to convey heart-breaking fragility, strength and pain.
I would recommend this film to anyone with sensitivity, empathy imagination and soul.