Friday, May 17, 2013

Review: The Fountain (2006)

The Fountain (2006)
I write to you tonight as the gentle glow of the moonlight is reflected in the glistening teardrops adorning my cheeks.  I am humbled.  I am nothing more than a woman in love that fears a life without her better half. This film defies time and space to reach deep inside your soul.  It reminds you to grasp the fleeting moments we have on this little blue planet and reflects upon the fear we will all one-day face, death.  I enjoyed the symbolism and applaud these visionaries for keeping the theme strong throughout. In life there is death and death gives life.  Although we are all destined to parish, we constantly better ourselves to avoid the inevitable.  Those great leaps help future generations to life longer giving us more time to truly live.  Without death, what is the value of life?
Hugh Jackman plays a scientist conflicted with his own fear of losing his dying wife, Rachel Weisz.  She is plagued by a tumor that he spends his life trying to fix.  Even with the advances he makes, they are too late. I am young, and fear the moment when my husband and I will be taken from each other into the uncertain. Some believe there is an afterlife, a heaven, or even that we will be reborn.  This film made me reflect on the inner understanding that we are all a part of nature and are only given a short time to enjoy this gift.  Jackman’s character is taken through stages of grief, from denial, anger, and into acceptance. When we realizes that death is life, is able to let go and move on knowing that the gift he has was meant to help others in his same situations.  Weisz’s death will help others live.
While in a bubble of his own creation, Jackman brings a tree that at first we are lead to believe is the tree of life.  I believe the vision of this tree was more a reflection on his own inner desire to save Weisz.  The tree, in essence, represented her.  The stories parallel a book that Weisz writes about a Conquistador that is sent looking for the tree of life by the Queen of Spain.  In her condition, she learned to make piece with death and understood that her death is only the beginning of life.  She was not afraid and was able to convey this in her book.  By asking Jackman to finish it, he was able to face his daemons and allow that fear and loneliness to die, making way for the creation of a new man, and a new world of medicine.
The visuals were incredible; they used light to help tell the story. The symbolism helped to drive the story, and while confusing at times, the story made a statement about life and death.  I really enjoyed this film and will certainly be adding it to my collection.  I am unsure how it took me this long to find this film, maybe in our early relationship, this film wouldn't have made as much since to me.  I am glad that I watched “The Fountain.” If you get nothing more for this blog, I do recommend anyone that has ever been in love, to see this film.
See more postings at Building Priceless.

No comments:

Post a Comment