The Fountain

The Fountain tells the story of Tommy Creo (played by Hugh Jackman) a modern-day scientist who is desperately trying to find a cure for the cancer that is killing his beloved wife, Isabel (played by Rachel Weisz).

The two leads also play the protagonists of Isabel’s novel within the film (entitled The Fountain) - A tale set in 16th century Spain, where conquistador Tomas commences his search for the Fountain of Youth, the legendary entity believed to grant immortality. All this is intercut with Tom (also played by Hugh Jackman) travelling through deep space as a 26th century astronaut, trapped in a giant bubble containing a tree. If this all sounds slightly ridiculous, it will all become clear I promise.

In its simplest form The Fountain is a deeply affectionate and moving love story. A modern day fairy tale which looks at one’s man’s eternal struggle to save the woman he loves – It is a collection of thoughts, feelings, images and sounds which ultimately strive to generate a deeply personal, emotional and somewhat religious experience. The soundtrack and special effects are breathtaking and a special mention needs to go to both Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz – stunning performances.

The Fountain needs to be viewed as a whole, even though it jumps through time and space, posing many narrative questions. I believe there is something profound for us all to learn from this film. An epic piece of film-making which can be viewed on both an intimate and awe-inspiring level, this will no doubt become a future classic.