Keeping the emotional center of the film firmly in place is Hugh Jackman, and “The Fountain” is clearly his show. Sure, Rachel Weisz, in dual roles as Isabel, Queen of Spain, and the dying Izzi, does a credible job, as do supporting cast members like Ellen Burstyn in the role of a medical researcher. It falls to Jackman, though, to propel the film forward. Whether the jaded Conquistador searching for the immortality-granting Tree of Life to save his Queen’s kingdom, or the desperate researcher trying to save his wife, or the enigmatic astronaut attempting to cheat death once and for all, Jackman delivers a profoundly emotional performance. He could have played up the melodrama – the film, with its epic tone, certainly lends itself to it – but he stays so well grounded that I think we’ve seen one of his strongest performances yet. Jackman’s already shown his versatility by pulling off different roles from Wolverine in “X-Men” to Borden in “The Prestige.” This time, he adds to his versatility and reveals a capacity for intense passion.
Beholding Beauty
But as impressive as Jackman is on the actor’s front, a large part of the film’s ability to inspire awe comes from strikingly sublime imagery – bolstered by a beautiful score composed by Clint Mansell and performed by, among others, the Kronos Quartet. From the Tree of Life’s hidden sanctuary deep in a South American jungle, to that same tree hurtling through nebulae-filled space in a bubble, “The Fountain” offers vistas with a haunting beauty.
Of course, some might find the film artsy-fartsy, or supremely melodramatic, or even a triumph of style over substance. Some certainly think that the film’s “message,” is simple to the point of being banal. That’s certainly the view of about half the critics at rottentomatoes.com. But to that I can only say that the film’s triumph is in the eye of the beholder, and more so here than any film, “The Fountain” gives in proportion to what viewers invest in it. True, the concern here isn’t so much on character and plot, but rather on emotions and ideas. This isn’t a bad thing, though. In fact, it offers an emotional experience that doesn’t involve manipulating the audience. More importantly, it shows how the film’s elements, perhaps insufficient on their own, come together to form a complete cinematic experience. What narrative there is serves the film’s sounds and visuals just as much as these serve the narrative. In other words, “The Fountain” is not just a film, but a work of art. And like any art, especially ambitious art, it comes packaged with a certain amount of risk. That “The Fountain” can be so divisive is an indication of its ability to provoke strong reactions…which is also a quality of great art.
Technical Quality: ** (out of two)
Written and directed by Darren Aranofsky. Starring Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, and Ellen Burstyn. 95 minutes. Rated PG-13.
