Home  •  About  •  Contact  •  Twitter  •  Google+  •  Facebook  •  Tumblr  •  Youtube  •  RSS Feed
The Fountain

The Fountain

By Patrick Samuel • January 19th, 2013
Static Mass Rating: 5/5
THE FOUNTAIN (MOVIE)
Warner Bros.

Original release: November 22nd, 2006
Running time: 96 minutes

Writer and director: Darren Aronofsky
Composer: Clint Mansell

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz

The Fountain

Why are we here, and what happens to us when we’re no longer here? Of all the questions that can be asked, these are the two most important ones that have yet to be answered definitively. While the task has mainly fallen to theologians, philosophers and scientists, artists and storytellers have also long tried to come up with their own ideas on life’s greatest mysteries.

Written for the screen and directed by Darren Aronofsky, The Fountain weaves together three stories; one told from the time of the Conquistadors, the second in the present time and the third from the far future in deep space.

Tomás is a conquistador who embarks on a quest for his queen, Isabella. His journey takes him to the ancient Mayan city where, after an ambush, he finds the mythical Tree of Life that has to power to heal the wounds from his fight. Isabella hopes the Tree will help bring an end to a battle for her throne and she promises to marry Tomás if he returns with it.

In present time, Tommy is a neuroscientist working to find a cure for degenerative brain diseases. His wife Izzi is suffering from a brain tumour and while he’s convinced he can cure her, she makes peace with what’s to come while also writing a story relating to the ancient Mayans. Izzie says to Tommy,

“He said that if they dug his father’s body up, it would be gone. They planted a seed over his grave. The seed became a tree. Moses said his father became a part of that tree. He grew into the wood, into the bloom. And when a sparrow ate the tree’s fruit, his father flew with the birds. He said… death was his father’s road to awe. That’s what he called it. The road to awe. Now, I’ve been trying to write the last chapter and I haven’t been able to get that out of my head!”

The Fountain

It’s left unfinished as she dies. Tom reads it and plants a seed at her grave.

Deep in space, in travelling in an ecosphere, Tom is alone as he moves ever closer to the golden nebula of Xibalba. His only company is a large tree and he spends his time talking to it, meditating and writing. He hears Izzie’s voice, urging him to “finish it”. The tree is withering though and to bring it back to life, they must reach the nebula. Told with some of the most beautiful images I’ve ever seen, The Fountain is unlike most stories we’ve encountered in film.

Although it’s time span presents a stretch for our imaginations, I found it much simpler to think of it as one complete story rather than three separate ones. Tomás, Tommy and Tom, like Isabella and Izzi, all share one soul, like a seed journeying through eternity, always toward the light where they came from – hoping to be replenished. The moment this happens in the film, it’s both dazzling and profound.

“Our bodies are prisons for our souls. Our skin and blood, the iron bars of confinement. But fear not. All flesh decays. Death turns all to ash. And thus, death frees every soul.” ~ Grand Inquisitor Silecio

Yet there’s more to it than that. There’s no past and no future here. The story of The FountainApocalyptoThe Fountain exists only in the here and now with Tommy and Izzi as he fights to save her from the flaming sword of mortality – he’s her conquistador she’s been writing about. What remains of her when she dies spurs him on to “finish it” and fulfil her wish, which is what we see when he plants the seed at her grave.

“Therefore, the Lord God banished Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden and placed a flaming sword to protect the tree of life.” ~ Genesis 3:24

It’s an ambitious film and its themes, at first glance, feel very heavy, but like all of Aronofsky’s films so far, it’s about a central character’s quest through a growing obsession or devotion. Philosophically stirring and visually stunning, it reminds us that while all things die, the mystery of life continues to inspire us without end.

The Fountain

BACK TO TOP
Patrick Samuel

Patrick Samuel

The founder of Static Mass Emporium and one of its Editors in Chief is an emerging artist with a philosophy degree, working primarily with pastels and graphite pencils, but he also enjoys experimenting with water colours, acrylics, glass and oil paints.

Being on the autistic spectrum with Asperger’s Syndrome, he is stimulated by bold, contrasting colours, intricate details, multiple textures, and varying shades of light and dark. Patrick's work extends to sound and video, and when not drawing or painting, he can be found working on projects he shares online with his followers.

Patrick returned to drawing and painting after a prolonged break in December 2016 as part of his daily art therapy, and is now making the transition to being a full-time artist. As a spokesperson for autism awareness, he also gives talks and presentations on the benefits of creative therapy.

Static Mass is where he lives his passion for film and writing about it. A fan of film classics, documentaries and science fiction, Patrick prefers films with an impeccable way of storytelling that reflect on the human condition.

Patrick Samuel ¦ Asperger Artist

© 2022 STATIC MASS EMPORIUM . All Rights Reserved. Powered by METATEMPUS | creative.timeless.personal.   |   DISCLAIMER, TERMS & CONDITIONS

HOME | ABOUT | CONTACT | TWITTER | GOOGLE+ | FACEBOOK | TUMBLR | YOUTUBE | RSS FEED

CINEMA REVIEWS | BLU-RAY & DVD | THE EMPORIUM | DOCUMENTARIES | WORLD CINEMA | CULT MOVIES | INDIAN CINEMA | EARLY CINEMA

MOVIE CLASSICS | DECONSTRUCTING CINEMA | SOUNDTRACKS | INTERVIEWS | THE DIRECTOR’S CHAIR | JAPANESE CINEMA