A little overcooked

Rating: 6/10 (9 June 2007)

Hugh Jackman, bald. That's where we start this film. The question behind the movie is "What if the Fountain of Life really existed?" Of course, this film is primarily an exercise in visual excess and melodrama, much like Aronovsky's previous film, Requiem for a Dream. Much like that past film, this one places the story in the heart of emotion, concerning itself less with good storytelling and character development and more with creating situations of great emotion. But unlike Requiem, The Fountain's structure inhibits a full appreciation of the characters' emotional progression.
While the film is visually brilliant, the pacing and the shallowness of the story often makes the progression of the film tedious and the inclusion of some of the religious visual motifs (and the picture of the future) really serve to distract from central point--a man's dealing with inevitable grief, which in its moments is quite impressive to watch. It's just burdened with a whole lot of extra "stuff" that's unnecessary to the core story, especially the overuse of the "future story". If the film were centered in the "near future" with occasional allusions to the fictional past, that might be sufficient dressing for the core element.
As it stands, it's a passable affair, with good-enough acting, outstanding visuals and a few moments of melodrama that might move you, but it becomes difficult to watch because of the unfocused meandering of the sequences and some amount of zaniness, which detracts from the otherwise somber tone of the film (I have to liken it to how I felt about Superman Returns). There are good ideas here, but the end package doesn't match up with the potential. Better luck next time, Mr. Aronovsky. 6/10.