Guy Ritchie's Fountain of Youth Has 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, but Is It Really That Bad?
Don't watch this one if you're a fan of Guy Ritchie's films.
Fountain of Youth is based on a script by James Vanderbilt, writer of Zodiac. Dexter Fletcher was originally set to direct the film, but he left the project, and Guy Ritchie quickly took his place.
In recent years, the British filmmaker has been working at an alarming pace and does not spare himself or his audiences.
The first half of the year saw the release of the series Mobland, for which Ritchie directed a couple of episodes, and the premiere of the action movie In the Grey is expected soon.
What Is Fountain of Youth About?
Luke and Charlotte are the children of the famous archaeologist and adventurer Harrison Purdue, who died several years ago.
Charlotte works as a curator at the National Gallery in London. Her brother, along with a team of assistants, searches for the famous Fountain of Youth, which has unique life-giving properties. They are on assignment from Owen Carver, a terminally ill billionaire.
Charlotte, going through a nasty divorce, reluctantly agrees to take part in the grand journey.
Fountain of Youth Is Yet Another Faceless Streaming Action Flick
The $180 million Fountain of Youth didn't even have a theatrical release.
It is a classic streaming action movie created for the widest possible audience and intended to please with its clarity and recognizability.
In recent years, streaming action movies created for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+ have had similar characteristics: a simple script, a star-studded cast, and an abundance of shootouts and chases. Fountain of Youth falls into this category.
Fountain of Youth Has No Personality
Fountain of Youth draws inspiration from cult films of the 1980s, such as Romancing the Stone. The creators pay special homage to the Indiana Jones franchise, even naming Luke and Charlotte's father after Harrison Ford.
Traces of The Mummy, National Treasure, and even The Da Vinci Code can be found in Ritchie's film. However, the film itself looks like a chewed-up product without an author's touch or clear identity.
Fountain of Youth Is Not Worth Watching for Guy Ritchie Fans
To defuse the tension during fights and conversations about the next step toward their cherished goal, Luke and his sister exchange barbs, but you won't remember a single joke by the time the final credits roll.
Ritchie will soon be associated not with dashing and witty films, but with tired B-movies. It's worth watching Fountain of Youth until the very end just to enjoy Oasis's Live Forever during the final credits.