logo
‘Fountain of Youth' movie review: Guy Ritchie's Indiana Jones wannabe is a mealy mouthed bore

‘Fountain of Youth' movie review: Guy Ritchie's Indiana Jones wannabe is a mealy mouthed bore

The Hindu24-05-2025
It is unbelievable that Guy Ritchie's archaeological heist film, Fountain of Youth, is just over two hours long. It felt way much longer. Starting promisingly in Bangkok, with the Thai version of 'Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)', and a man with a painting rolled up in a tube being chased by scary people, the movie swiftly dissolved into a muddy, derivative mess.
The man with the painting is Luke (John Krasinski) and he is on the hunt for the titular Fountain of Youth for Owen Carver (Domhnall Gleeson), a corporate raider and multi billionaire, who is dying of liver cancer and hopes the Fountain of Youth will give him a fresh lease of life.
Fountain of Youth (English)
Director: Guy Ritchie
Cast: John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson, Arian Moayed, Stanley Tucci
Runtime: 125 minutes
Storyline: A disgraced archaeologist and a dying corporate raider hunt for the Fountain of Youth
The Fountain of Youth is protected by a secret society called the Protectors of the Path (see what I mean by a complete lack of imagination?). Luke is trying to find the Fountain of Youth from his father, Harrison's (gosh!) notes. While we do not know if Harrison was an archaeologist, grave robber or treasure hunter; the search for the mythical wellspring was his life's work. If any of this reminds of you of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, then it is surely intended, what with Luke talking in his sleep and all.
As Luke flees Bangkok on a posh train, he is accosted by a mysterious woman, Esme (Eiza González) who also tries to take the painting from him but of course he escapes. Then we are in London where Luke's sister, Charlotte (Natalie Portman) is in the middle of a horrid divorce from Harold (Daniel de Bourg) and a custody battle for her 11-year-old son, Thomas (Benjamin Chivers) who is something of a musical prodigy.
Charlotte works at a museum and up pops Luke to steal yet another painting (he stole a painting from gangsters in Bangkok, which is why the scary men were after him). We learn that the clue to the path was hidden in the works of six artists including El Greco, Velázquez, Rembrandt, Caravaggio and Ruben. There is no The Da Vinci Code-style detour into art history with our favourite symbologist. Also, why anyone would want to hide a path only for it to involve such treasure hunts in anyone's guess. Such secrets ways are best lost in the mists of time.
After raising the Lusitania and shooting up the Austrian National Library, the merry band land up in Cairo and blast their way through pyramids that have not been opened for millennia and speed reading hieroglyphics to reach X, which marks the spot. Esme and her boss, the Elder (Stanley Tucci) as well as Inspector Jamal Abbas (Arian Moayed) from the Interpol are hot on their heels. Everything comes crashing down after the good guys have got the prize and the evil villains have earned their just desserts in the true tradition of adventure movies.
Ritchie's trademark style of slo-mos, flying coats in a blaze of bullets and bone crunching violence are anaemically present. Fountain of Youth is short on everything — from action and humour to thrills and locations.
Fountain of Youth is currently streaming on Apple TV
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

How Thai is that green curry?
How Thai is that green curry?

Mint

time13 minutes ago

  • Mint

How Thai is that green curry?

I mention the words 'green curry" on the Zoom call, and chef David Thompson fires his first salvo. 'I've opened restaurants across the world, and one of the least controversial dishes I've ever had is the green curry. But here (in India), everybody has an opinion on it and I just think to myself; wow, it's a simple dish. Why is it so contentious?" Thompson, who has nearly four decades of global experience in Thai cuisine under his belt, is the culinary director at the recently opened Fireback in Mumbai. And the dish in question is the khmoy green curry, a robust, spicy dish loaded with heart of palm, babycorn, and cauliflower served with fragrant jasmine rice. It's quite unlike the coconut milk-based green curry in your average Thai restaurant in Mumbai (which Thompson likens to cream of asparagus soup). I remember eating this dish at Fireback Goa when it opened in December 2023, and I revisited it in Mumbai last week. In both instances, it blew my socks off and reminded me of what Thai food tastes like in Thailand—bold and flavourful. Sydney-born Thompson has lived in Thailand since the 1980s, and has been running a string of Thai restaurants around the world, including Michelin-starred ones in Bangkok and Hong Kong. 'I have delved pretty deeply into the cuisine; I've had to because I ain't Thai, so I had to build up a repertoire from scratch." Mumbai (and India) is no stranger to Thai cuisine, but we have largely eaten a certain version of it with creamy coconut-based curries, peanutty satays, and bird's eye chilli-flecked stir-fries. That is not to say these are not 'authentic" Thai flavours, but there's so much more as I found out on my first trip to Thailand more than a decade ago. Every subsequent trip drove home the fact that the Thai food in Mumbai just about scrapes the tip of the iceberg. Brand chef Kaustubh Haldipur at Fireback, who along with his team, was extensively trained in Bangkok by Thompson, says, 'Most of the curry dishes come from the central plains, but Fireback's menu also includes some dishes from southern Thailand, like the chicken gorlae." These are grilled skewers coated with the zingy coconut-based gorlae sauce topped with crispy shallots, and served with ajad, a spicy relish of cucumber, shallots, and chillies. The vegetarian version has pumpkin and sweet potato skewers, all from the Josper grill that takes centre stage in Fireback's glass-walled kitchen. Both the green and red curries have a spicy kick to them, somewhat mitigated by the rice that's served alongside. 'My responsibility is to do my utmost to be as faithful to the cuisine as possible and execute it with as much finesse as I possibly can muster," says Thompson. Other signature dishes include the Massaman curry with pumpkin, potatoes, coriander seeds, and peanuts as well as the jungle curry with pork that packs in quite a bit of heat. The mango and sticky rice that comes next calms the fire in my mouth, but it's the grilled banana that's the real treat. Served with condensed milk ice cream and crispy roti, it's a take on the popular street dessert, Thai roti or crispy pancake with condensed milk and banana. 'It's ultimately about contentment. I hope guests leave not just satisfied, but quietly joyful—from the flavours on the plate to the attentiveness of the service. When those elements come together, it becomes more than a meal; it becomes a memorable experience," says Thompson. And memorable it is. I'm still thinking about the chicken gorlae, reminiscent of the many grilled skewers I've scarfed in Bangkok's night markets. Prachi Joshi is a Mumbai-based travel and food writer.

Who is Heisenberg? 'Leo' director Lokesh Kanagaraj confirms mystery lyricist is real, not a robot or AI
Who is Heisenberg? 'Leo' director Lokesh Kanagaraj confirms mystery lyricist is real, not a robot or AI

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Who is Heisenberg? 'Leo' director Lokesh Kanagaraj confirms mystery lyricist is real, not a robot or AI

Tamil music fans have been enjoying hit songs with stylish English lyrics for many years now. But what makes these songs even more exciting and intresting is the mystery behind the person who writes them. This unknown lyricist goes by the name Heisenberg – inspired by the character Walter White from the famous American show 'Breaking Bad'. No one really knows who Heisenberg is, except for director Lokesh Kanagaraj , who claims he has met the person. The buzz began with 'Vikram' and grew with 'Leo' The mystery around Heisenberg began when Lokesh 's 2022 film 'Vikram', starring Kamal Haasan , was released. The songs 'Wasted' and 'Once Upon A Time' featured catchy English lyrics that instantly grabbed fans' attention. Heisenberg returned the following year in 2023 with the film 'Leo', writing four more tracks – 'Bloody Sweet', 'Ordinary Person', 'I'm Scared', and 'Leo Das Entry'. Even though fans were eager to find out who this lyricist was, composer Anirudh Ravichander didn't reveal much. He said he had only spoken to Heisenberg over the phone and confirmed that only Lokesh had met him in person. Lokesh Kanagaraj clears the confusion Recently, during an interview with Galatta Plus, Lokesh Kanagaraj addressed some of the fan theories. He confirmed that Heisenberg is not a robot or AI programme but a real person. He also said that both he and Anirudh know this person, but they are keeping his identity private on purpose. Lokesh clearly stated that neither he nor Anirudh is writing the songs secretly under the name Heisenberg. Lokesh gives fans a clever hint To add to the mystery, Lokesh offered fans a clue. He said that if they watch the 1980 Tamil film 'Varumaiyin Niram Sivappu', they might be able to figure out who Heisenberg is. This sparked a wave of online guesses from fans. 'Varumaiyin Niram Sivappu' starred Kamal Haasan and Sridevi and was directed by K. Balachander. Because of this connection, many fans began to wonder if Kamal Haasan himself might be Heisenberg. Other guesses included director Nelson Dilipkumar and actor-playwright S. Ve. Shekhar. But since Lokesh clearly said neither he nor Anirudh is secretly behind the name, the mystery deepened even more. Tamil cinema has seen mystery artists before This is not the first time Tamil cinema has seen an artist hide their identity. In 2017, director Gautham Menon credited a song composer as 'Mr. X' for the hit track 'Maruvaarthai' in 'Enai Noki Paayum Thota'. It was later revealed to be Darbuka Siva. He said he used a fake name because he didn't want too much attention and wasn't sure how people would react. Heisenberg's hit songs keep coming Despite the mystery, Heisenberg's songs continue to do well. In 2024, he wrote more popular songs like 'All Hail The Tiger' and 'Red Sea' in 'Devara: Part 1' (starring Jr NTR), and 'Hands Up' in Rajinikanth's film 'Vettaiyan'. For now, Heisenberg remains one of Tamil cinema's most mysterious figures. Even without a known face, his strong and stylish lyrics continue to make waves and fans can't stop talking about him.

Bollywood's leading action director survived on Re 1 for meals, worked as spot boy to Ajay Devgn's father, wasn't paid
Bollywood's leading action director survived on Re 1 for meals, worked as spot boy to Ajay Devgn's father, wasn't paid

Indian Express

timean hour ago

  • Indian Express

Bollywood's leading action director survived on Re 1 for meals, worked as spot boy to Ajay Devgn's father, wasn't paid

Action director Sham Kaushal became a prominent name in the industry in the 1980s and 1990s. However, his journey to fame was not as easy. Born into a middle class family, Sham completed his MA in English Literature at a university in Punjab and wanted to become a lecturer. However, the profession needed another degree, M Phil, for which he had to travel to Chandigarh. But he didn't have the money for the hostel fees. This shattered his dreams, and he began to look for jobs in Punjab, and learnt typing. But none of this helped him. A year later, a friend suggested that he travel to Mumbai. During this time, his father borrowed Rs 3000 and gave it to him. Now, Sham's only goal was to repay his father's loan. But, life in Mumbai was difficult. ALSO READ | Sholay actor had to sift through rat sh*t so he could eat bread crumbs, slept on the streets, sold kites to make a living: 'Khaane ko paise nahi the' He recalled in a podcast with Aman Aujla, 'When I came to Bombay, I saw the struggle. I didn't have money for several days, yet I never slept on an empty stomach. Many people helped me. I went to Bombay in 1978. I stayed with my friends in a chawl. At that time, with help from one of my relatives, I got a job of a salesman. My salary was Rs 350 per month. I had to take about two buses, and a train to reach my office in Chembur. I would be left with just Re 1 for lunch and dinner. I used to eat misal pav for dinner outside my work as they charged 15 paisa per pav. And then I ate batata vada for dinner. I also used to be a smoker, I loved cigarettes, but couldn't afford them. So bought bidi worth 10 paisa.' Soon, he had to leave the chawl as he didn't have the money to pay for the deposit. He started to live in his office and kept his luggage at a friend's place in Ghatkopar, where he walked every day to change. 'I just had 2 trousers and 3 shirts.' But, he was laid off after a year. ALSO READ | Supermodel, who played Sridevi's husband, quit Bollywood after receiving immense hate for a 10-second scene 'A year later, my office laid me off because I lacked confidence. I couldn't communicate well. I had inferiority complex. It was after this incident, I decided I will never take up job again. I couldn't speak on calls. So I made two decisions: To never join another job, and to never quit Bombay. This became my strength. I knew Bombay is everything for me. I didn't want to return to Punjab.' Sham's struggles continued for sometime until he made friends with a couple of other Punjabis at a PG he was staying at. He also made friends with someone who worked at an eatery; the friend would feed him every day. 'I didn't have money, but friends always helped me. There I made a friend with a person at an eatery in Santa Cruz, they would feed me. It was next to a PG. Once, while walking to the eatery, I came across a gift shop where they had this thing on which it was written: 'If God closes one door, he opens 10 others.' This line left an impact on me. I ended up buying that thing for Re 1.' He added, 'That PG was home to a couple of more guys from Punjab. They worked as stuntmen in films. I became friends with them. In 1980, they made me a member of Stuntman Association. They told me, you can think of a business later, but as of now you can just do some work here, it will at least earn you your daily bread. That's how I got into the film industry. They charged Rs 1000 to make you the member of the association, which I borrowed from many of my friends and paid.' ALSO READ | Bollywood icon got 'married' at 13 to man three decades her senior, watched her infant daughter die, converted to Islam after seeing dreams After this, he met Veeru Devgan, a renowned action director. Veeru invited him over for a meal, and wordlessly offered him a job. 'He got to know that I have done MA in English. Then he offered me a job in his office. I accompanied him everywhere he went. I had become more like his spot boy. I carried his bag, I would bring him tea, water. We became close. He would then add my names with other fighters in films. Because of him, I started to earn money. Eventually, when I started to make money, I realised maybe this is what God wanted for me. Then it occurred to me that I can become a stunt director. I left Veeru Devgan, and then joined Pappu Varma. They were new. I joined them. I learnt the ropes there for 2 years. I wasn't paid any money.' It was during this time that he met actors Jackie Shroff and Anupam Kher. 'Two years later, I began to receive work. From 1983, I started to work as a stuntman, I also played duplicates to actors. In the '90s, I received my break as a stunt director.' ALSO READ | Bollywood directors survived on Rs 80 per day after father was duped by uncle, hosted Shah Rukh Khan at their chawl and 2000 fans gathered outside Sham recalled his first outdoor shoot as a stuntman, which became a turning point in his life. 'I worked as a fighter in Sunny Deol's Betaab. We travelled to Mysuru. This was my first outdoor shoot. I didn't really know to do stunts. But, it was my luck, a scene with Sunny Deol worked. It impressed my boss. I received Rs 500 instead of Rs 100 for that day's shoot.' While Sham was not very confident about his craft, his dedication to help his parents change their lifestyle kept him motivated. He shared, 'I made sure to repay the loan my dad took to send me to Bombay. It was only after that I left my job as a salesman.' While Sham once worked as Veeru Devgan's assistant, his son Vicky Kaushal's latest film grossed more than those of Veeru's son, Ajay Devgn.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store