Discover the metaphors for yourself...spoilers in here

Rating: 10/10 (5 February 2007)

From a personal perspective, I interpreted The Fountain as "the mortal acceptance/non acceptance of death". Its a very difficult idea to develop as a watchable narrative/screenplay because we live in a world of man made religions with so many different after life ideas. This probably subconsciously upsets people because it tampers with their own systems of belief or, for others, terrifies them because they realise that every human, including themselves, will inevitably die (its surprising how many humans actually feel that they are immortal). The film involves Tomas, a doctor/scientist who's wife is dying of a brain tumor. He cannot accept the fact that she is dying and is certain that he can find a cure for her tumor. At first, his wife is frightened at the fact that she is dying, so she begins writing a book about a search for the tree of life and the fountain of youth (a metaphor for her husbands search for a cure for her tumor). Accepting her death, she gives the book to Tomas and asks him to finish writing the story. There are so many metaphors in this film (the loss of his wedding ring, the planting of the seed at his wife's grave, his tattoos), to be interpreted by ones own inquiring mind. I thought it was beautiful nonetheless, both visually and audial. As another reviewer stated, if you are frightened of dying, then perhaps give this one a miss. If you are comfortable with questioning your existence and your mortality, give it a go and enjoy this amazing film. I didn't exist before I was born...so I've been there before...there's nothing scary about going back to it....whatever it is.