Miss 'The OA'? This Darren Aronofsky Forgotten Masterpiece Will Fill the Void
Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain is rarely included on directors' lists of the best films, but it's a transcendental, dreamlike work that fans of The OA will definitely love.
If you love The OA for its depth, spiritual quest, and fearless exploration of death, then Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain will be a revelation for you.
It's a film that you don't just watch, but experience. You may not fully understand it the first time, but like Prairie in The OA, you will feel that there is something bigger that lies beyond reality.
Though The Fountain received mixed reviews upon its release and was not a box office hit, it has received cult status over time. Like The OA, it touches on love, death, transcendence, and the search for eternity.
What Is 'The Fountain' About?
Izzi is slowly dying from cancer. Her husband, Tom, a brilliant oncologist, is looking for a way to save the woman. Instead of searching, Izzi asks Tom to finish her book, The Fountain, which she is writing on her deathbed.
In the book, the woman's illness is presented as an inquisitor enslaving Spain, and Tom is a conquistador searching for the Tree of Life on the queen's orders.
Meanwhile, Tom has a dream in which he travels through cold space in the 26th century and communicates with a glowing tree.
'The Fountain' and 'The OA' Concepts Are Similar in That They Explore Life After Death
What happens when Aronofsky tackles the topic of accepting death? We receive the movie with three storylines united by an ensemble cast, and off-the-charts conceptuality.
The OA explores ideas such as life after death, moving between dimensions, and mystical rebirth. The Fountain does the same, only through the prism of myth and poetry rather than science. Both works ask: What if death is not an end, but a transition?
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'The Fountain'?
Empire critic Helen O'Hara gave The Fountain four out of five stars, saying:
“At heart, this is a simple Zen fable about love and death. In execution, it's a complex and gorgeous mini-epic with sterling performances from its two stars.”
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The Fountain has 52% from critics and 74% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.1/10.
