This month’s Guy Ritchie film (come on, he does churn ‘em out) sees the former Mr Madonna set aside his obsession with seedy London gangsters and moody mobsters and venture into slightly more wholesome – even family-friendly – territory with the big budget AppleTV+ exclusive Fountain of Youth.
Reviews have been sniffy (to say the least), and it’s hard to argue against criticisms that the film is outrageously derivative, borrowing heavily from the likes of the Indiana Jones series, National Treasure and even The Da Vinci Code. But if you’re minded to set aside those “I’ve seen all this before” first impressions and just enjoy the ride, you might find yourself enjoying the familial chemistry between stars John Krasinski and Natalie Portman and having some fun with the big set pieces and silly plot contrivances.
The ever-likeable Krasinski plays disgraced archaeologist Luke Purdue, who, at the beginning of the film, steals a painting from under the noses of vengeful criminals in Thailand, particularly the enigmatic Esme (Eiza González). Back in London, he enlists the help of his museum curator sister Charlotte (Portman) in helping terminally ill businessman Owen Carver (Domnhall Gleeson) solve a series of clues (and liberate a number of priceless paintings) that will lead to the discovery of the location of the legendary Fountain of Youth, whose waters Carver believes will cure him of his illness.
Keen to escape the unpleasantness of a messy divorce, Charlotte agrees – with some reluctance – to join her brother and his crew. Before long, the group are helping to raise a portion of the sunken wreck of the Lusitania to find the next clue that points to the hidden Fountain – another lost painting – before galivanting off to Vienna to secure a ‘wicked’ Bible and finally heading off to Egypt for an explosive finale in the Great Pyramid of Giza.
It’s all nonsense, of course, and clearly utterly aware of the much better and more iconic films in the same genre that have gone before it. But Ritchie handles it all with great flair and gusto, and he’s obviously having a good time working well outside his usual cinematic wheelhouse. There’s nothing at all new here, and the finale will leave you breathless as it shamelessly recreates the climax of one of the most famous action movies in history.
So whilst the destination couldn’t be more familiar, the journey is a pure romp. You’re likely to find yourself enjoying the company of a lively cast, having a good time, and some good old-fashioned armchair globe-trotting. You’ll forget Fountain of Youth fairly quickly, but you’re unlikely to resent the two hours spent in its company.
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH is streaming now on AppleTV+
