A metaphysical abstract film on... death

Rating: 8/10 (22 March 2019)

The Fountain is drenched in misery and misfortune. I regularly find myself led to this type of films. What makes films that emanate such sadness appeal so much to me? Is that the same reason why people listen to sad songs? Perhaps so. Well, The Fountain isn't your average pessimistic film, it's allegorical, visually lurid, and psychedelic. The film jumps mercilessly from scene to scene, and the overarching climax behind the narrative progresses with an intensity far beyond the fathomable. Hugh Jackman (Tomas) so far-removed from reality he drags the audience with him, on a metaphysical journey remarkably grand and ambitious it tips into abstract thought.
Yet, the themes it rubs on is by nature not a subject matter considered delicate. Death is experienced by everyone but at the same time, it's not. How strange is that? How do you explore a theme that nobody alive has gone through? Hence, it's no grand fault of the film to turn to abstract ideals, it informs the audience that this is something to trifle with. Ideas of life amidst death are contrasting and contradictory. Similarly, the film is contrasting and contradictory if three highly distinct backdrops play side-by-side in the movie yet spelling the same narrative. The film is hard to judge, and take that what you will. It depends on how you as the audience react to the visuals, sounds and story of this movie. It's not easy to swallow.
But I don't want to watch something digestible. If life is so short, I want something to challenge my beliefs, educate my sensations, and strive for the lofty goals. Esoteric, austere and unforgiving. It's a film on tragedy and how we overcome it. As humans, we are fortunate to possess a medium that supports the sharing of ideas. While the idea isn't new, the delivery is one of a kind. If you aren't interested in looking at abstract pictures that resemble the incomprehensible, that's fine. Most people don't. But it's tough to admit that, when gazing at it, that it doesn't offer to your imagination.