Movie Queue: The Fountain

Starring:


Hugh Jackman (we all know where we've seen him)


Rachel Weisz (The Mummy, The Mummy Returns)


The past (16th century): Tomas Creo (Jackman) is a Spanish Conquistador sent on a mission by his queen, Isabel (Weisz), to find the Tree of Life. Here tell, if you drink the sap from the tree you're granted eternal life.


The Present (21st century): Dr. Tommy Creo is a research scientist trying desperately to find a cure for his wife, Izzi, who's dying from a brain tumor.


The Future (26th century): Astronaut Tom Creo (a bald Jackman) is floating in a clear bubble and transporting the Tree of Life (possibly Izzi) towards a far star.

Now, here's where it gets confusing. The movie shifts back and forth between all three time zones and at one point, you start to wonder if it was real or all part of the story Izzi was writing. In the present, she was in the process of writing a book called "The Fountain". In it, she mentions the Tree of Life and shebalba (don't know if I spelled that right, but it's not to be confused with "Sebulba", the ugly creature from Star Wars, Episode I).

All the stories are intertwined, with the Tree Of Life being the main centerpiece, but it's so choppy you tend to get lost. Quickly. There were some truly emotional moments in which I was wiping away tears--I heard other sniffles, too--and my own personal take was that of not only trying to cheat death, but the acceptance of it. However, ultimately, I walked away thinking only one thing:

HUH?

I'm not sure what people were expecting when they saw the trailers for this movie. I myself was thinking it would be some type of period piece love story. Which it was, to some extent. Just not the formulaic period piece love story I was envisioning. Ten minutes into the movie, a couple got up and walked out. Despite the fact that it was a teenage couple probably out on their first date--and she'd talked him into seeing it--I wanted to get up and follow them. I'm sure Steven felt the same way.

But it was HUGH JACKMAN, y'know? This man is probably the hardest working actor in Hollywood right now and he's reminded me not once, not twice, but three times, why it's cool to be a mutant. Who gets to wear a really cool leather outfit. I wanted to stick it out and see if it would get better. It didn't.

Review: 1 snap....waaaaaay down

Labels: Movie Queue