Absolutely brilliant film on all levels. I saw it last week and I'm still in the process of mentally absorbing it.
I can't stress how much attention to detail Aronofsky put into this film. It seems there's no detail that doesn't have some kind of hidden or deeper meaning to be discovered if given enough thought.
Without spoiling it for those who may eventually see the film, it's not exactly a plot-driven story and it doesn't force-feed you a moral, nor does it even try to make its own intended meaning too obvious. Neither is it a subjective piece. There are definite conclusions to be drawn from the film, both literally and philosophically. But all such conclusions require a whole lot of thought after the fact. A rarity in films these days.
The editing style is similar to that of Christopher Nolan's, in that it tends to play out as sort of a stream of thoughts and memories. However, unlike Nolan's films, The Fountain doesn't throw all the pieces to the puzzle out there only to solve it for you at the end. It leaves each peace out there, open to interpretation. There are no "Aha" moments where the truth of the story is suddenly revealed, but there have been (at least for me) a few "Wow" moments as certain things came to make sense on a philosophical level.
It should be noted that you won't get the same effect by downloading and watching it on your computer. Some of the visuals simply have to be experienced on the big screen. I very rarely go off to see movies alone, but I plan on going tomorrow to see it a second time. I haven't been this moved by a film since Jacob's Ladder, and it's been 15 years since.
SPOILERS BELOW
SPOILERS
Tom's death scene is perhaps the most moving death scene I've ever seen on film. Far removed from the atypical death scene in which one merely takes their last breath and passes on, Tom's willingful descent (ascent?) into Xibalba fully convinced me of his ascension to a higher plane of thought. And, in doing so, damn near convinced me that such an ascension (at least internally and philosophically) is possible regardless of our own mortality.
This film has screwed with my head and I love it dearly for it. Truly beautiful on every level.
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I can't stress how much attention to detail Aronofsky put into this film. It seems there's no detail that doesn't have some kind of hidden or deeper meaning to be discovered if given enough thought.
Without spoiling it for those who may eventually see the film, it's not exactly a plot-driven story and it doesn't force-feed you a moral, nor does it even try to make its own intended meaning too obvious. Neither is it a subjective piece. There are definite conclusions to be drawn from the film, both literally and philosophically. But all such conclusions require a whole lot of thought after the fact. A rarity in films these days.
The editing style is similar to that of Christopher Nolan's, in that it tends to play out as sort of a stream of thoughts and memories. However, unlike Nolan's films, The Fountain doesn't throw all the pieces to the puzzle out there only to solve it for you at the end. It leaves each peace out there, open to interpretation. There are no "Aha" moments where the truth of the story is suddenly revealed, but there have been (at least for me) a few "Wow" moments as certain things came to make sense on a philosophical level.
It should be noted that you won't get the same effect by downloading and watching it on your computer. Some of the visuals simply have to be experienced on the big screen. I very rarely go off to see movies alone, but I plan on going tomorrow to see it a second time. I haven't been this moved by a film since Jacob's Ladder, and it's been 15 years since.
SPOILERS BELOW
SPOILERS
Tom's death scene is perhaps the most moving death scene I've ever seen on film. Far removed from the atypical death scene in which one merely takes their last breath and passes on, Tom's willingful descent (ascent?) into Xibalba fully convinced me of his ascension to a higher plane of thought. And, in doing so, damn near convinced me that such an ascension (at least internally and philosophically) is possible regardless of our own mortality.
This film has screwed with my head and I love it dearly for it. Truly beautiful on every level.
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