Flawed but true

Rating: 7/10 (12 April 2010)

If Pi took us through the trials of purgatory and Requiem For A Dream gave us a taste of hell then there is something heavenly about Darren Aronofsky's latest. Clearly he never had in mind to limit his intimate romantic drama to the confines of genre, feasibility, or even planet Earth. The film has predictably polarised the opinion of critics. It seems that the more personal the vision, the more extreme the critical response; whenever a vision such as Aronofsky's comes along the condemnation is vicious and the praise is lavish.
He could have done what he wanted after the stupendously grim Requiem for a Dream. The marketing bods must have been cracking their knuckles in glee when they'd found someone who shot violent neo-noir who they could sell as the new David Fincher. But instead he ended up six years later completing a metaphysical love story, full of light, and ultimately hopeful.
Some critics have made comparisons between this and Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, but I believe thematic comparisons are erroneous. Certainly, the film provides similar challenges (and possibly confusion) for its audience. But 2001 had bigger fish to fry - the post-Nietzschean rebirth of God, no less - while The Fountain is filmed in close-up. 2001 was about the power of Man; The Fountain is about one powerless man and his inevitable defeat.
Regardless of whether you find The Fountain mysterious and moving or a pretentious bore, Aronofksy's conviction is undeniable. In an industry steadily becoming saturated with product placement sequels and depressing remakes, it's refreshing to lie back and be presented with a truly unique vista. It's as much about capturing a single emotion - the most elusive of all - as it is about telling a story. And, if nothing else, life in a Petri dish sure looks pretty.