The Fountain (2006)

All Critics (197) | Top Critics (46) | Fresh (109) | Rotten (99) | DVD (30)

I will concede the film is not a great success. Too many screens of blinding lights. Too many transitions for their own sake. Abrupt changes of tone.

September 14, 2007 Full Review | Comments (15)

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

Lurches on a thin line between hyper-ornate space oddity and extended perfume advert.

January 25, 2007 Full Review

David Jenkins

Time Out

Top Critic

The Fountain is the story of a gifted artist who dared to reach for the stars and paid for his ambition with a really stupid movie.

November 30, 2006 Full Review

Dana Stevens

Slate

Top Critic

Mr. Aronofsky's outlook on life remains too constantly pessimistic for my taste, and too completely joyless as well.

November 29, 2006 Full Review

Andrew Sarris

New York Observer

Top Critic

This is one of the worst movies of the year.

November 27, 2006 Full Review | Comments (18)

Richard Roeper

Ebert & Roeper

Top Critic

The movie may have significant truths to impart, although I have my doubts, but it feels too inexperienced, too unworldly, to have earned the right to them.

November 27, 2006

Anthony Lane

New Yorker

Top Critic

The enormous, and sometimes inspired, visual arc of Aronofsky's reach sadly exceeds his narrative's basic grasp.

November 16, 2012 Full Review

Luke Goodsell

Empire Magazine Australasia

Visual alchemist Darren Aronofsky's most personal work is a double helix of love and loss - death entwined with life as existence's only reliable truths. It offers a transfixing merger of biological imperatives and musings on creativity and tragedy.

September 24, 2010 Full Review | Comment (1)

Nick Rogers

Suite101.com

A metaphysical muddle.

July 6, 2010 Full Review

Brett Michel

Boston Phoenix

It's difficult to recall another American film that, in pursuing a passionate and personal vision, goes so maddeningly, uproariously wrong.

July 6, 2010 Full Review | Comment (1)

Michael Atkinson

Sight and Sound

The continuous sense of deeply felt discovery tempers the movie's overreaching pretentiousness

August 28, 2009 Full Review

Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

You can judge for yourself whether a money shot of semenesque tree-sap is a proper payoff, but the movie is at least texturally rich, tonally consistent (brooding, always) and much fussed over by its maker.

August 7, 2008 Full Review

Jonathan Kiefer

Sacramento News & Review

Epic sci-fi romance explores faith and love.

July 24, 2008 Full Review

Cynthia Fuchs

Common Sense Media

This film raises an interesting question: How far is a viewer willing to follow a talented filmmaker down a rabbit hole, when it becomes clear that said filmmaker has lost his way?

July 7, 2008 Full Review | Comments (5)

Steve Biodrowski

ESplatter

It's a simple story told with Zen directness, its fingers deep in the age-old questions, its eyes and ears wide open to the sensual potential of cinema.

February 13, 2008 Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

eFilmCritic.com

So simple, so elaborate, and yet so utterly brilliant...

January 23, 2008 Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Despite its flaws, it's still worth watching.

July 14, 2007 Full Review

Joe Lozito

Big Picture Big Sound

Seldom in cinema has eschatology been treated with such intelligence, or inspired such aching awe.

July 6, 2007 Full Review | Comments (3)

Anton Bitel

Eye for Film

Yes, The Fountain is ridiculous, arguably pretentious, pining for your attention like a sixth grade emo kid. And I love it to pieces.

July 3, 2007 Full Review

Rob Humanick

Projection Booth

If one is to be left with something in the end, it is the realization that its creator is fully in love with not just the result of his art, but the very happening of it.

July 1, 2007 Full Review

David Keyes

Cinemaphile.org

Si, puede ser demasiado, pero de alguna manera Aronofsky, aunque arriesgando caer en el exceso y hasta en el ridículo, se las arregla para que el relato sea atrapante (...)

June 25, 2007 Full Review

Enrique Buchichio

Uruguay Total

It will no doubt find itself aging quite well, appreciated long after its (inevitably short) theatrical run.

June 21, 2007 Full Review

Jason Gorber

Film Scouts

• 1. Tomas/Tommy/Tom Creo: All these years, all these memories, there was you. You pulled me through time.
  – Submitted by Natasha R (6 months ago)
• 1. Lab Support Primate: Through telepathy: why do you humans operate on my brain? It causes much stress for me.
  2. Tomas/Tommy/Tom Creo: Because we humans have lost our sense of purpose, so much that we must try and find it in other intities, no matter how primitive they may be.
  – Submitted by Drea L (15 months ago)
• 1. Isabel/Izzi Creo: I will not die, not here, not now, never...
  – Submitted by Nicholas C (15 months ago)
• 1. Tomas/Tommy/Tom Creo: Death is a disease, it's like any other. And there's a cure. A cure - and I will find it.
  – Submitted by Gendrith A (17 months ago)
• 1. Tomas/Tommy/Tom Creo: There's been progress at work...
  2. Isabel/Izzi Creo: [laughs] My conquistador! Always conquering...
  – Submitted by Gendrith A (17 months ago)
• 1. Lord of Xibalba: Death is the road to awe.
  – Submitted by Gendrith A (17 months ago)

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