memento_mori's Movie Review of The Fountain (2006)

Symbolism at its most incredible.
memento_mori - wrote on 08/22/13

They say this is a 'love it or hate it' type of movie… Well, I guess I love it.

This film seems to focus on the aspects of life and death a lot. The way I understood it, the tree in the mysterious round force field shape symbolizes life (tree of life) and the dying star the couple sees and the Mayans astonish is supposed to represent death.
This film is filled with little easter eggs of mysteriousness that are absolutely beautifully directed by a visionary talent Darren Aronofsky, especially through his macro photography.
Hugh Jackman as three versions of Tom is amazing. He has proven himself to be a great dramatic actor, and his efforts here exceed any others I've seen from him.
Rachel Weisz was good as his wife/queen; she was mainly there for Jackman to have someone to bounce dialogue off.

Where the film fails to deliver in a minor way, is in keeping a constant storyline. I know there are supposed to be many story lines, but it tends to not be that smooth sometimes.
There are many movies with this structure, where an actor plays several roles and characters and it doesn't work out. Here it isn't bad, but I think the pacing doesn't stay true to the tone of the film. When we are in the presence of a couple in the present day, we get used to their story and their personalities. And suddenly we're in the Spanish Inquisition with characters we know nothing about. I'm not saying the stories aren't interesting. I find the space incarnation of Tom to be the best, but with such a diverse tone, I don't understand what kind of a movie it is trying to be.

When an actor who never before impressed me can carry a movie almost all on his own like this, I am shocked. Hugh Jackman's incredible acting and Darren Aronofsky's great screenwriting and direction make this movie a treat to the eyes as it is to the heart.
This is kind of a perspective-changing movie for me, and I am appalled that this film holds only a steady 51% on Rotten Tomatoes. Everything is there. Some aspects may not make complete sense, but it shows its greatest strengths through symbolism.