The Fountain (2006)

The Fountain is, unfortunately, one of the worst films I’ve seen. After the gritty and experimental Pi and Requiem for a Dream, Darren Aronofsky has opted for high production values, epic special effects and a storyline crossing centuries – only he doesn’t have the money, or the story, to pull it off. The original cast featured Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Johnny Depp, and no doubt would have been spectacular, but after Pitt pulled out to make the equally poor Troy, he reportedly cost the production $90 million, and it never quite recovered.

With an embarrassing plot veering between a conquistador, a scientist and a futuristic Buddha figure, it’s unlikely all the money in the world would have helped, whilst Rachel Weisz and Hugh Jackman struggle with poor dialogue and ludicrous scenes to emerge with any dignity at all.

An upsetting instalment from an otherwise intriguing director, although hopes that he may recover have been let down by the news his next film is about a wrestler and stars Mickey Rourke – proof that some directors are better of never ‘making it’.