The Fountain

It is said that there were two trees in the Garden of Eden: the tree of knowledge and the tree of life. When Adam and Eve ate from the tree of knowledge, God hid the tree of life and they were forced to deal with being mortal.

There are few filmmakers in this day and age who have the courage and the inclination to tackle complex religious issues. Darren Aronofsky is an exception; and what's more, he has style, wit and imagination to accompany them. What he doesn't have, unfortunately, is a great script.

The Fountain takes the idea of the conflict between human desire for knowledge and life and spins it out through a complex story which explores not only Judaeo-Christian views but also those of the ancient Mayans. As research biologist Thomas (Hugh Jackman) struggles to save his beloved wife Izzi (Rachel Weisz) from cancer, the book she has been writing takes him on a journey into the past and his own ambition carries him into the future. The Spanish Inquisition and battles in the South American jungles are artfully rendered; the present day story is potent and well realised; but for the future segment I would recommend that you take a book of your own. This is a hopelessly unbalanced, deeply flawed film, which is a shame, because it has moments of genuine brilliance.

One of the biggest problems stems from its own high production standards. The sets are gorgeously designed, giving each location as powerful a presence as any of the characters. The future set, however, is necessarily stagy and plain, and Jackman simply does not have the charisma to carry these scenes alone, stumbling around and literally chewing the scenery. Before long the viewer, hearing Izzi's voice say "Finish it!", will be inclined to make the same decision.

Weisz is on fine form as the dying woman, presenting us with somebody who is much more solid and therefore valuable as an individual than the faded beauties one usually sees in this type of role. The awkwardness of her relationship with a man who loves her, but cannot get his head around what she's going through, is heartbreakingly rendered and watching them grow apart is ultimately far more affecting than the business of her dying.

Further enhanced by astute direction and some of the best sound work I've observed in years (the clunky soundtrack aside), this has the makings of a five star movie. Consequently, the film's more esoteric trappings feel tacked on. Aronofsky doesn't seem to be saying much by way of them that he couldn't say directly, albeit more subtly. The result is a work that feels unnecessarily repetitive and slow.

One cannot help but want to praise The Fountain for its sheer ambition. It's always a delight to know that there are people willing to attempt projects like this, and I do hope that the fact it's sure to be a flop won't rob Aronofsky of the funding necessary to try again. Anyone who appreciates the craft of filmmaking will find this fascinating. Anyone with eyes will find it beautiful. Ironically, it is a film rich in the fruits of knowledge, but lacks any real sense of life.