Jun 12 2008
Film Recommendation: The Fountain
In 2006, director Darren Aronofsky released his third film, The Fountain. The young director wrote the story and screenplay for this film. Darren Aronofsky previously directed the mathematical psychological thriller, Pi and his better known film, Requiem for a Dream in which the characters battle their own particular addictions. The Fountain stars Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz in a story of love that attempts to defeat the test of time. The story takes place in three moments in time. In 1500 a.d., Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz live in Spain for the quest for a hidden tree in South America which contains sap that provides eternal life. In 2006 a.d., Jackman is a scientist that is searching for a cure for his wife’s (Weisz) cancer. Finally, in 2500 a.d., the characters are on a journey to the dying star that offers re-birth. The past, present, and future offer parallels within the characters’ endeavors. Are the characters within the different eras time the same persons? The Fountain is a brilliant story of one man’s mission to be with the person he loves for eternity. This film offers great writing, direction, and visual beauty. Musician, Clint Mansell provides his musical genius which invokes a variety of feelings from hope to despair. Aronofsky also introduces subjectivity to the film in which the audience gets to decide what the outcome is. Often times, my friends have come to me with a list of questions. While I give them my answers, I remind them that it may or may not be consistent with Aronofsky’s view of this film; which I also believe was his purpose in creating this puzzle known as The Fountain. This is the type of film that needs to be watched more than once. Although you may understand it after one viewing or not, there is always something new that you will catch the next time around. I you are a movie goer that longs for the opportunity to think and participate in discussion of theory, this is the film for you.
