Rent The Fountain (2006)

No Cohesion - The Fountain review by CP Customer

I agree that this is at times visually stunning, but it also feels overly long at 1 hour 25 minutes! Whilst it is nice to look at, it suffers from an almost total lack of a strong cohesive story. After 20 minutes you are still sitting looking at the 3 parallel stories knowing that if you'd not read the synopsis you would not have a clue what was going on. Even with the synopsis it is hard work trying to work out what the Director is stating with this work. It almost feels as if he had a really vivid dream about this film and has concentrated only on trying to create the look and feel without developing the story. Sadly, this would not be a movie I would rent again.

Love, Loss, and Symbols That Drift AwaY - The Fountain review by griggs

Some films aim for the cosmic, and this one shoots all the way past the stratosphere. The Fountain weaves three parallel stories—past, present, and future—each circling the same theme of love, loss, and the desperate attempt to outpace death. They’re designed to echo one another, a chorus of grief and resistance that’s as ambitious as it is overwhelming.

When the film stays grounded, there are flashes of something genuinely moving. The intimacy of two people facing mortality cuts deeper than the grand gestures, and there’s a tenderness in those quieter moments that lingers. But the further it strays into allegory, the more it risks collapsing under its own symbolism.

Visually, it can be stunning, with bursts of imagery that stick in the mind long after the plot has blurred. Yet the emotional weight is often smothered by repetition and abstraction. The Fountain is striking, bold, and haunting in places—but also heavy, elusive, and not half as profound as it wants to be.

Weird, a bit confusing, but beautiful to look at - The Fountain review by CP Customer

This film is visually stunning. The special effects and cinematography are spectacular. Jackman and Weisz are fantastic in their roles. Weisz is Izzi, a woman who is dying as a result of a brain tumour. Her husband Tommy is a surgeon researching a cure for cancer. It's a race against time for him to find the cure that will save his wife. Jackman captures his passion, intensity and despair. The film can be a bit confusing as there are many flashbacks and it is not always clear why. However, it is worth a look if you like films that offer something a bit different in the visual department.