Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, Ellen Burstyn
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Rated PG-13
5 Pulses

Director Darren Aronofsky is no doubt a visionary, but it sure does take him awhile to make a film.

It’s been six years since the release of his NC-17 Requiem for a Dream, which garnered cult status over the years because of its realistic depiction of drug use, original style of camera work and only being able to view it on DVD.

Now comes The Fountain, which left me perplexed, in awe and confused as hell. Like 2001: A Space Odyssey, it’s a visionary tale of life and death.

Set in three separate time periods spanning a thousand years, representations of 16th Century Spain, the present and the year 2500 are all impeccable in both production and costume design. Each era is an amazing vignette all unto itself, but when intertwined and later combined they form one complete opus that is even more haunting and poetic because of Clint Mansell’s score.

What is at the heart of the film is a beautiful love story that not only traverses throughout the ages, but is a parable of the cycle of life, death and rebirth. It would be amazing to live forever, to see how much the world changes over the years, even centuries.

However, death is inevitable, and The Fountain questions whether death may be greater than living forever: “Our bodies are prisons, for our souls. Our skin and blood the iron bars of confinement. All flesh decays, death turns all to ash and thus, death frees every soul,” says the Inquisitor.
I still suggest a second viewing to fully realize the worth of the film. It isn’t that often that a filmmaker pushes the envelope, in both the way a film should be made, as well as how it should be told.

The pacing is extremely slow, and the film ends abruptly after a rather short period of time?96 minutes. But, it is an awe-inspiring journey, and one that can’t really be articulated in a review. To each his or her own, and each person should go into the movie with an open mind and experience it for themselves.

It must finally be said that this is by far Hugh Jackman’s finest performance ever, one of the best of any male lead in recent memory in fact. The vulnerability he portrays, as well as the determination he has, is unbelievable to watch.