The Fountain, directed by the genius Darren Aronofsky, is a masterwork of magical realism with passion seeping out of every crack. The love that spans ages and has its roots in metaphysics and spiritualism is the subject of the allegorical film. The complex movie may even assist you in overcoming your fear of dying if you see it in the appropriate frame of mind. It’s one of those movies where you need to watch it more than once to understand the strange ideas on your own. This article will walk readers through the plot and explore the movie’s key themes. Spoilers ahead for the movie The Fountain’s narrative and conclusion.
The Fountain’s Story| A Summary
The romance between the leads is the main focus of the movie. Hugh Jackman plays the Spanish conquistador Tomas, the physician Tom Creo, and the space traveller in the film. By portraying the roles of contemporary novelist Izzy Creo and Queen Isabella of Spain, Rachel Weisz wins the role of the other leading lady. It is separated into three iterations, which frequently appear to be distinct time periods but are all only tangentially related and are each represented by a particular visual pattern. Both the mind-bending photography and the heartbreaking soundtrack are praiseworthy, as is the acting of the two actors.
Currently| Doctor
Tom Creo is the scientist carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders as he conducts research on monkeys with tumours in an effort to develop a treatment for degenerative brain illnesses. Tom’s wife’s deteriorating health as a result of a brain tumour fuels his desperate search for a miraculous treatment.
Izzy, in contrast to her husband, has come to terms with her imminent mortality as she wrote the book The Fountain, which tells the tale of Queen Isabella and her conquistador. She requests that Tom complete the final chapter of her book. Tom keeps experimenting with the bark of a Guatemalan tree while being defiant. Amazing synaptic development and age-reversing effects are demonstrated in the trials, but the tumour doesn’t get smaller. As Izzy’s condition deteriorates, desperation sets in, and Tom keeps arguing with everyone in his lab. He even has a breakdown when he misplaces his wedding ring.
Izzy recounts him the tale of her Mayan guide, who, in an effort to deny the passing of his father, planted a seed on his grave, which later blossomed into a lovely tree, as she lies on her deathbed. Izzy takes her last breath just as Tom’s superior tells him that the tumour in the monkey is diminishing as a result of the experiment. Tom, who is grieving, has a psychotic break in which he uses the fountain pen Izzy gave him to pierce his flesh and etches a wedding band composed of ink. He resumes his job and makes a promise to discover the key to immortality because, in his opinion, “death is an illness.”
Queen Isabella and the Conquistador
Tomas, who is devoted to Spain, and Queen Isabella, who is in danger of losing her throne to the Inquisitor, are the subjects of the historically incorrect story. She gives Tomas a quest to obtain the life-giving sap from the Tree of Life, located in the Mayan area of New Spain, as a last ditch effort to survive. She gives him a ring in exchange for her pledge to become “his Eve” and for them to be together forever.
Tomas encounters difficulty on the quest and loses the majority of his men as a result of a botched coup. He is attacked by Mayan warriors who are waiting for him at the entrance to the secret Mayan temple, and they make him ascend the pyramid by himself. When he reaches the top and enters the temple, the head priest greets him and stabs him. A vision of the spaceman, whom the Mayan priest recognises as the First Father and gives his life as a sacrifice, takes the place of Tomas.
After killing him, Tomas searches for the ever-blooming, sky-reaching Tree of Life. He downs the sap once it has healed his wound, but shortly collapses in agony. Tomas, horrified, observes as grass and flowers emerge from the wound. He strives furiously to rip them out but is unsuccessful; as a result, he passes away and is replaced by fresh life.
Space Tourist
Tommy, a space traveller, takes care of a tree in a glass-domed biosphere. The tree’s bark reacts to his touch. He practises tai chi while eating tree bark in order to survive. He has inked black bands on his ring finger and tattoos of rings on his arms. He is frequently visited by the ghost of Izzy, but he seems to dislike it.
The camera pans back and forth between sights from the present and the sixteenth century. Izzy appears in her hospital bed as the biosphere ascends towards the centre of Xibalba’s nebula as the tree is also dying at the same time. He consoles the tree by informing it that Xibalba will soon perish and that when it bursts, the tree will rebirth and he will also survive.
As Izzy dies in the present day, so does the tree in the biosphere. The man, angry and devastated, cries out in pain. Later, he traces his tattoos and ring mark as he reminisces how the tree was his constant through the years and pulled him through time.
He sees Izzy again as his ecosystem rises and approaches Xibalba. He yells in agony, wanting to be left alone, and he acknowledges that he is terrified. Izzy is replaced by Queen Isabella, who requests that he free Spain from servitude. Tommy says he doesn’t know how, but the ghost of the Queen/Izzy tells him that he does and that he will. Tommy fervently acknowledges the appearances of Izzy and Queen Isabella and accepts his demise. He repeats what the apparitions are saying, and when they say that they will be together forever, peace appears on his face. He ascends the tree, emerges from the biosphere in a more compact glass bubble, and draws close to the dying star. When he puts on the wedding band, Xibalba explodes into supernova and gives birth to new life.
The Fountain: What were the themes?
The Fountain’s symbolism raises interesting questions and touches on the reality of mortality.
Christian Symbolism
The film borrows biblical allusions to the Tree of Life, the Fountain of Youth, Eden, the way to salvation, and the passage from darkness to light. In the same manner that Christianity highlights how being separated from light is to be detached from God, the movie places an emphasis on transitioning from darkness to light.
The Maya Culture
The Mayan religion is frequently mentioned throughout the film, particularly in relation to the Tree of Life and Xibalba. Izzy says that according to Mayan mythology, the First Father sacrificed himself to create fresh life and the earth, and the tree’s root grew from his body. The branches that made up the sky were his soul. The First Father’s head was hung in the heavens by his offspring and created the Mayan underworld, Xibalba, the nebula. Izzy made a suggestion that once Xibalba explodes and gives birth to new life, the pair will still be together in an immortal life beyond death. However, it seems as though the movie bases Xibalba’s origin narrative on its own invention.
References to Buddhism and Hinduism
The Fountain incorporates elements of Buddhism and Hinduism as well since it emphasises the path to light. The space traveller sits in the lotus position and chants incantations while meditating; his ability to survive depends on his ability to solely eat the tree’s bark.
Mortality
The main theme of the film is man’s preoccupation with defeating death and obtaining immortality. All of the other characters—aside from Izzy—are feverishly looking for a method to avoid dying. Mortality is what distinguishes people (and life in general), according to Aronofsky.
Understanding the Fountain’s ending| Overcoming the Fear of Death
The Fountain’s conclusion emphasises the idea that accepting death is the key to having a fulfilled life. Tomas dies, but his body becomes a part of the Tree of Life, making him immortal despite his demise. When the space traveller realises that death is what will enable him to spend eternity with the love of his life, he becomes at peace with the concept of dying. When Tommy plants a seed on top of Izzy’s grave towards the conclusion, he comes to terms with death and accepts it.
New-age views have a major influence on the film Fountain, and it links them to other religious beliefs. It consists of abrupt scene changes and flashes of blinding light, both of which are crucial to the plot’s transitions. One film that attempted to cram a lot of fantastical concepts into 96 minutes was The Fountain, and in some ways it succeeded.
Although it hasn’t been made clearly known, many viewers see time travel in it. It’s more likely that Izzy penned the chapters in her book that tell the tale of Tomas and Queen Isabella. The Fountain’s final chapter, which Tommy authored as part of his late wife’s dying wish, tells the tale of the space traveller. It is up to the spectator to decide how to interpret the movie, as Aronofsky implied.
What did you think of The Fountain’s overall plot and resolution? Please provide your feedback below.
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