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Just thought i would ask the smart people that probably have watched this movie if they can explain what the movie is about.
I watched it a few times and ... i dont think i can make sense out of it.

Anyone else actually seeing the movie? share your thoughts / theory?

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_fountain/

I am not actually sure if I saw this, but it looks to be a bit cheesy.

Wrexasaur wrote:http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_fountain/

I am not actually sure if I saw this, but it looks to be a bit cheesy.

Im not sure if i trust some of the views on rottentomatoes . Ppl with different religious backgrounds seem
to interpret the movie very differently.

*Trying to figure this scene out:

I read the Rotten Tomatoes link...

"The Fountain -- a movie about metaphysics, universal patterns, Biblical symbolism, and boundless love spread across one thousand years -- is visually rich but suffers from its own unfocused ambitions."

... and that sums it up quite nicely. I don't go in for all of the religious interpretations as it takes away from the art of it. I guess you could also say, if I remember it correctly as it has been a few years, that it is a metaphysical reincarnation story with a self fulfilling prophecy twist.

It's interesting both visually and thematically but pretty 'meh' in overall execution. I liked it but I wouldn't buy it if you get my meaning.

GoFenris wrote:I read the Rotten Tomatoes link...

"The Fountain -- a movie about metaphysics, universal patterns, Biblical symbolism, and boundless love spread across one thousand years -- is visually rich but suffers from its own unfocused ambitions."

... and that sums it up quite nicely. I don't go in for all of the religious interpretations as it takes away from the art of it. I guess you could also say, if I remember it correctly as it has been a few years, that it is a metaphysical reincarnation story with a self fulfilling prophecy twist.

It's interesting both visually and thematically but pretty 'meh' in overall execution. I liked it but I wouldn't buy it if you get my meaning.

Ahh i have a few question if you still remember the movie ( i need to buy DVD to rewatch it ) i cant remember most of the story either ><

1) Is he the only *immortal ?
2) Does he retain memories of his previous life?
3) Whats the tree of life and that bubble they are encased in?
4) Is his body destroyed and reborn each carnation ? Or does he just wake up in his new life?
5) Where is that darkness he is trying to get to at the ending? the moment before he puts the ring on?
6) Did putting the ring on deny him the chance to go into that darkness? and bring him right back into the tree of life bubble?

Visually interesting, philosophically boring, and generally overreaching.

I really like looking at The Fountain, but I'm not overly fond of actually paying attention to the story.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

LunaHound wrote:
Ahh i have a few question if you still remember the movie ( i need to buy DVD to rewatch it ) i cant remember most of the story either ><

1) Is he the only *immortal ?
2) Does he retain memories of his previous life?
3) Whats the tree of life and that bubble they are encased in?
4) Is his body destroyed and reborn each carnation ? Or does he just wake up in his new life?
5) Where is that darkness he is trying to get to at the ending? the moment before he puts the ring on?
6) Did putting the ring on deny him the chance to go into that darkness? and bring him right back into the tree of life bubble?

There's debate over whether or not the events that transpire outside the present day actually take place. Many people believe they were simply hallucinations, ripped from Weisz's book, fueled by a grief stricken man.

dogma wrote:Visually interesting, philosophically boring, and generally overreaching.

I really like looking at The Fountain, but I'm not overly fond of actually paying attention to the story.

There's debate over whether or not the events that transpire outside the present day actually take place. Many people believe they were simply hallucinations, ripped from Weisz's book, fueled by a grief stricken man.

What i was wondering is , was the ending sort of like this:

1) He isnt the only immortal , but to the story its irrelevant . Because everyone is bounded by their own Saṃsāra which
coincidentally takens in metaphoric form of tree of life and the dome he is always in .

2) When he wants to forget about the girl , im assuming he is choosing the cut away the path that bounds him from Saṃsāra so he can finally reach Nirvana .
which coincidentally is complete darkness ( opposite to what heaven looks like )

3) But before he was actually reach there , the ring he had e.g. was another metaphor that shows his being was still spiritually bounded onto his Saṃsāra
which why he was yanked back into the bubble .

Before I answer, let me warn that I am trying to remember the film from a few years back. This is what I seem to remember and my own interpretations so if I am WAY OFF, too bad, I warned you.

LunaHound wrote:1) Is he the only *immortal ?

I think so, but only the present day version because of something to do with turning her into the tree and killing his past self, does that sound right?

LunaHound wrote:2) Does he retain memories of his previous life?

I don't think so. I don't remember them being consciously aware of their past.

LunaHound wrote:3) Whats the tree of life and that bubble they are encased in?

I thought the tree was her and the bubble was simply a super advanced space ship and they basically stopped/reversed entropy of the entire universe. Or perhaps created a new universe?

LunaHound wrote:4) Is his body destroyed and reborn each carnation ? Or does he just wake up in his new life?

I thought he killed his Conquistador self at the end/rebirth of the Universe so I assume he was simply a reborn reincarnation.

LunaHound wrote:5) Where is that darkness he is trying to get to at the ending? the moment before he puts the ring on?

I don't even really remember that particular detail, sorry.

LunaHound wrote:6) Did putting the ring on deny him the chance to go into that darkness? and bring him right back into the tree of life bubble?

I can only assume the ring was his chance to possibly move on or perhaps letting her go (only guessing as I don't remember a ring) and returning to the bubble had to do with self sacrifice for a greater good, as it were. Again only a guess.

Gee, I hope this helps. Damn, now I gotta Netflix this one again. I see you are looking at it as a more religious interpretation whereas my mind looked at it in more of a science/science fiction interpretation.

GoFenris wrote:
Gee, I hope this helps. Damn, now I gotta Netflix this one again. I see you are looking at it as a more religious interpretation whereas my mind looked at it in more of a science/science fiction interpretation.

I dont really have any good interpretation myself thats why im asking . ( i honestly forgot 95% of the movie already )
the part im asking are only the parts i saw on youtube . which is why im way off lol.

But different interpretation is great . I see it as a gift from a wonderful writter for us viewers.

LunaHound wrote:
What i was wondering is , was the ending sort of like this:

1) He isnt the only immortal , but to the story its irrelevant . Because everyone is bounded by their own Saṃsāra which
coincidentally takens in metaphoric form of tree of life and the dome he is always in .

2) When he wants to forget about the girl , im assuming he is choosing the cut away the path that bounds him from Saṃsāra so he can finally reach Nirvana .
which coincidentally is complete darkness ( opposite to what heaven looks like )

3) But before he was actually reach there , the ring he had e.g. was another metaphor that shows his being was still spiritually bounded onto his Saṃsāra
which why he was yanked back into the bubble .

That seems like a valid interpretation to me.

I saw it, and hated it. To me it was just boring and stupid and I didn't get it. I guess I was expecting something different, but I think the director was filled with fail on this one. You can have a story like this and tell it in a way that makes sense to people, instead he tried to be artsy so no one knew what the heck was going on.

it's like that movie Mullholland Drive. No one but the trippy director gets it, and all anyone ever remembers about it Naomi Watts gettin' down with that other girl...

Although, with this film in particular, I can understand that many people really don't like it.

Loved it, but didn't understand a lot of it.