Underrated masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (16 April 2011)

A beautifully-told tragedy with a modern twist. Truly among Aronofsky's best, it intertwines a love story with mythology and concepts of life and death. It definitely takes more than one viewing of this film to really appreciate every nuance, but that's one of the reasons that this film is brilliant - you can notice something new every time you watch it. It is such a shame that the director's original vision couldn't be accomplished, but with what resources he had, he has made something incredible in "The Fountain". It's the kind of film which will make it's audience wonder about not only one's own mortality, but the ability, or lack thereof, to deal with a dying loved one and the prospect of an afterlife. These often touching and self-questioning themes coupled with breathtaking visual effects created with natural micro-photography, as well as the emotionally-enthralling score produced by Clint Mansell and Co. leave all of the viewer's senses seduced. Throw in a tragic love story delivered by some of Hollywood's finest talent and you have yourself a very intelligent piece of art with multiple layers, which is not to be brushed aside as "pretensious" or "outlandish". I ask the critics to watch again and think about these themes some more before judging this piece.