A brilliant film, but not for everyone.

Rating: 10/10 (17 April 2007)

The Fountain is a movie that chronicles three parallel story lines that span a thousand years.
It is my firm belief that this is the greatest work of film art produced since Stanley Kubrick's 2001, or maybe even Orson Welles Citizen Kane. That being said if you are not a knowledgeable film viewer and are looking to be purely entertained, do not see this movie.
This movie is primarily told through images. Through a series of very structured and recurrent symbols the movie weaves an intricate syntax that it uses to tell the story like no other movie I have ever seen. The cinematography is second to none. The way the shot is framed and placed is as much used to tell the story as the actual progression itself. The editing between shots is flawless and meaningful. All the technical and directorial aspects of this film fuse with Aronofsky's script to convey a wide variety of themes as well as, not one, but three coherent story lines. While utilizing filming technique's that disregard traditional horizontal shot structure, Aronofsky uses a primarily depth oriented and vertical shot structure with great skill. His vaunted non CGI special effects that he used to cut the budget of the film by almost thirty million dollars are seamless. The sound track composed by Aronofsky's longtime cohort Clint Mansell is beautifully rendered. Performed by the virtuoso Kronos Quartet, the music serves to enhance the symbolism of the movie making something very much akin to an aural narrative. The theme's in this movie convey a magnitude that has not been attempted since metaphysical poetry was in vogue in the late 16th early 17th century.
The acting is equally superb. Every member of the cast delivers and does their job. Aronofsky has a reputation for being exceptionally demanding of his actors, yet the performances that he captures are well worth whatever he has them go through. Hugh Jackman is at his best, he delivers a performance of total realism and honesty. This movie cements in my mind the fact that Jackman is one of the next great actors. Rachel Weisz is nearly beatific, though not quite as powerful as Jackman, in her role. She does exactly what the role required of her.
This movie is definitely not for everyone. However, if you are in the mood for an intelligent, critical, and moving piece of art, this is the movie for you.