A Closer Look at The Fountain (2006)

It would seem that relatively few people have actually heard of The Fountain, let alone seen it. Yet, in my humble opinion, Darren Aronofsky's third full length feature was the best film of 2006. So how has a film like The Fountain managed to disappear?

Possibly the rumoured production issues played a part in the films failure to find an audience. Indeed, Hollywood heavyweights Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett were originally cast in the lead roles, with Aronofsky gifted a $70 million budget with which to experiment. However, due to unforeseen circumstances the stars dropped out and were replaced by the significantly less commercial Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz. On top of this, the budget was slashed by $35 million.

In addition, the polarised responses of critics surely scared audiences away from The Fountain. Perhaps the concept of the film itself simply didn't appeal to a mass audience. Whatever the reason, The Fountain remains a grossly under-appreciated film.

The Fountain is comprised of three stories which interweave over the course of a thousand years. All three narratives star Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz in the lead roles. The first story is set during the Spanish inquisition, and follows a conquistador’s quest to find the Tree of Life in order to save his beloved Queen. The second tale - the centrepiece of the narrative - concerns a scientist’s desperate attempt to cure cancer, with the intention of saving his dying wife. The third and final piece of the puzzle follows a man travelling through space and into the heart of a dying star, whilst nurturing a slowly decaying tree.

First things first; any reservations about the casting are immediately dispelled. Hugh Jackman shows an emotional depth that I would never have thought him capable of. His is a powerhouse performance of raw emotion. Indeed, it’s hard to believe that this is an actor who made a name for himself playing Wolverine in those boring X-Men movies; this is Hugh Jackman as we have never seen him before. Weisz doesn't disappoint in her various roles either, although she isn't quite operating on the same level as her opposite number. Her performance is eerily reminiscent of her portrayal of Tessa Quayle in The Constant Gardener a year earlier. That isn't to say Weisz is anything less than stellar throughout, but this is well trodden ground for her. This being said, she clearly has great on screen chemistry with fellow star Jackman, a crucial factor in a film dealing so intimately with the love shared by the two characters.

Clint Mansell, long-time collaborator of Aronofsky, returned to create a score for The Fountain, and to devastating effect. Although not quite matching the climatic symphony of Requiem for a Dream, Mansell infuses The Fountain with a suitably melancholic, yet hopeful theme. The score is continually twisted and manipulated to varying degrees for each of the three intertwining stories. It is only in the climax of The Fountain that we are treated to the full, combined effect of Mansell’s orchestration.

Aronofsky himself describes his film as a very simple love story about a man and woman in love, with the woman dying young. He claimed to be inspired by those who die young, and marveled at how they came to terms with their own demise. He recognised, in what he refers to as an incredible tragedy; that the patients would often die more alone because of the inability of their friends and family to fully comprehend what was happening to them. This feeling of isolation is what inspired him to make The Fountain.

Death is an implicit part of life, and for those of us who have experienced one of its many forms The Fountain is sure to resonate profoundly. What can we do when faced with death? This is essentially the question The Fountain attempts to tackle.

The theme of death is clearly prevalent throughout the film. Jackman’s conquistador is willing to do anything in order to prevent the demise of his Queen, even if it ultimately means losing his own life. Similarly, the scientist attempting to cure cancer is clearly doing so with the motivation to save his beloved wife from succumbing to the illness. The third narrative is also closely tied to death; Jackman is trying to save the decaying tree by travelling into the very heart of the dying star. In short, all three stories deal with mankind finding a solution to death.

The search for eternal life is perhaps the ultimate human endeavour. It may take many forms; the quest for the Holy Grail, the cure for cancer, or the search for the Tree of Life. What The Fountain would propose, is that this endeavour is one of futility. The characters of Weisz know this, they suggest that the truth of life is death; it is what makes us special. Immortality itself can only be achieved through death. Indeed, I think one of the taglines of the film was “what if you could live forever?” Although slightly misleading, this is a core theme of The Fountain; the idea that only in death can we truly “live forever”.

The idea of confronting death is prevalent not only in the narrative, but through the subtle manipulation of the films form. The key theme of fearing death is portrayed throughout The Fountain as a journey from darkness into light, which can be seen quite literally by looking at the lighting of the characters. In the beginning, all of Jackman’s characters are kept out of key light; they are only seen in silhouette. As his characters develop and the stories progress, the lighting on Jackman increasingly grows brighter. This is to convey the characters journey from darkness into light, as he finally comes to terms with the idea of death being a part of life. In contrast, the characters of Weisz are flooded with light in all three of the stories; she is already enlightened to the truth of life.

For all of its complexities, The Fountain delivers a profoundly simple message. Despite our great wealth of knowledge, most people are still afraid to die. Like the character of Jackman in the final act, we must confront death alone. In order to truly defeat death, we must simply learn to accept it.

Aronofsky's love poem to death is devastatingly personal film making on an epic scale. Love it or hate it, The Fountain is a film sure to be admired for decades to come.