A different side of Darren Aronofsky.

Rating: 7/10 (9 March 2011)

"Death is a disease. It's like any other. And there's a cure. A cure. And I will find it."
I think Darren Aronofsky is great. He brings a sense of art into each movie he makes, no matter how human, small, and individual his stories may be. The Fountain is different from his other projects, however, because it's almost wholly an art film. It largely leaves conventional storytelling behind and explores love, loss, and fear of mortality through reoccurring images, symbolism, alternating time-lines/realities, and some really fantastic visuals.
I have to say that I liked it. It's ambitious and it takes a while to get a handle on, but it captured my interest from the very beginning. There were moments when The Fountain brought to mind a Guillermo del Toro movie, times when it felt like pure Aronofsky, and then scenes that reminded me of nothing I've seen previously.
Hugh Jackman gives a commendable, fragmented performance as the three main characters in their three variations of the story. But it's Rachel Weisz who plays the only character in the film that we really get to know a part of, and she's the anchor of the overall story. I gained a healthy respect for both actors, while watching this.
On the whole, I found The Fountain to be a worthy experience. There's something lacking, though. I can't say what it is, exactly. The movie felt a little too loosely connected, as if the theme binding it together wasn't tied quite as tightly as it should have been.
I predict three different possible reactions to The Fountian. Person A will watch about 15 minutes of it, quickly realize it's not for them, and turn it off. Person B will appreciate what Aronofsky tried to do, but feel that The Fountain is ultimately a flawed effort. Person C will enjoy the movie and want to see it again several times, despite niggling concerns that it's not quite all it had the potential to be.
I'm Person C. I loved the cinematography and had a very positive reaction to all the metaphysics and existential themes (which isn't always the case, despite the fact that I was a philosophy major in college). It's not the typical Aronofsky film and it's not his best (The Wrestler) or his most complete (Black Swan), but it's definitely his most ambitious.