MOVIE TITLE:     Fountain of Youth

This action-adventure movie is now playing on Apple TV+.

RATING:     PG-13

LENGTH: 2 hours 5 minutes

IN A NUTSHELL:

The film was directed and produced by Guy Ritchie. While there are some familiar elements, this movie doesn’t have his usual style, something I missed. The script was written by James Venderbilt, although some viewers have complained it sounds more like it came from some AI tool.

The story is about two siblings who join forces to seek the legendary Fountain of Youth. Using historical clues, they embark on an epic quest filled with adventure. If successful, the mythical fountain could gran them immortality.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

• Lots of destruction.
• We see some paintings of naked people.
• Violence with various weapons.
• High dead-body count from violence with weapons.
• Some profanity but no F-bombs or crude language.
• Young children might be frightened by a few effects.

THEMES:

• Adventure
• The fountain of youth
• Family
• Divorce
• Recognition
• Greed
• Power

THINGS I LIKED:

• I’ll pretty much watch anything with John Krasinski in it. I think he’s great and he seems like a really good guy in real life. Did you know that he and Stanley Tucci are brothers-in-law? Stanley is married to Felicity Blunt who is John’s wife’s sister. He’s married to Emily Blunt.
• The opening chase through Bangkok’s bustling streets, featuring Krasinski’s Luke on a moped dodging goons, is a tactile, well-choreographed thrill that sets a promising tone.
• A later car chase in London with an AC Cobra 427 and a fight in the Austrian National Library are equally engaging, showcasing Ritchie’s ability to stage practical stunts with panache.
• The film’s production values are top-notch, with lush locations—Bangkok, Vienna, Cairo—and vibrant cinematography by Ed Wild that gives the adventure a big-screen feel despite its streaming release.
• Fantastic set designs.
• The gorgeous library featured in Guy Ritchie’s Fountain of Youth (2025) is the Austrian National Library, located in the Imperial Palace in Vienna, Austria. Specifically, the scenes were filmed in the library’s State Hall (Prunksaal), a stunning Baroque-style hall known for its ornate architecture, frescoed ceilings, and vast collection of ancient books. The production team secured rare permission to film in this historic location for a key sequence involving the “Wicked Bible,” with some elements, like a fight scene, recreated in a studio to avoid damaging the library’s priceless collection.
• Costumes by Loulou Bontemps, particularly the luxurious floral prints and tailored fits, add a layer of Ritchie’s recent obsession with sartorial elegance.
• Lots and lots of action.
• There are plenty of humorous lines, although not all of them land.
• The fantastic cast also includes Natalie Portman, Eiza Gonzalez, Domhnall Gleeson, Stanley Tucci, Carmen Ejogo, and Arian Moayed.
• We get to see a lot of interesting artwork.
• We get to spend time in Thailand, Cairo, Austria, and London. In Stanley Tucci’s first scene, we’re told it takes place in Vatican City, but it’s actually King William Court in Greenwich, London. 
• I’m excited to see the famous pyramids of Egypt. I’m going there next year! If you’ve traveled there, do you have any tips for me?
• Yes, the Wicked Bible talked about in the movie is real. It’s a rare 1631 edition of the King James Bible, infamous for a printing error in Exodus 20:14, where the word “not” was omitted, making the commandment read, “Thou shalt commit adultery.” The mistake caused a scandal, and most copies were destroyed, with only a few surviving today, making them valuable collector’s items. The error is attributed to a typesetting mistake by printers Robert Barker and Martin Lucas.
• If you like puzzles, clues, labrynths, ancient mysteries, and twists, you just might get a kick out of this flick. If you do enjoy it, you’ll be happy to know the end of the film opens the door for a sequel.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

• Honestly, I didn’t think it was as terrible as everyone else is saying. I enjoyed the adventure and just tried to overlook the flaws.
• The screenplay by James Vanderbilt leans heavily on familiar tropes—hidden clues in ancient artifacts, secret passages, and a race against shadowy organizations, but some say it lacks the charm or wit to elevate them.
• I’m usually happy to suspend disbelief in order to have a good time watching a movie, but many viewers are complaining that the plot, which involves decoding messages in priceless paintings and a musical code in a “Wicked Bible,” often feels contrived, with logical leaps that strain credulity.
• Is anyone else getting tired of the boss babe who can beat up guys trope?
• None of the characters are particularly memorable or endearing.
• Sadly, Stanley Tucci is underutilized. I absolutely adore him.
• The fighting between the estranged brother and sister was exhausting.
• Uneven pacing.
• It sure would be nice to have a billionaire finance all of my adventures…

FUNNY LINES:

•  “You are a masterpiece. He is a monkey. I could have told you it wouldn’t work out.” – Luke Purdue     (John Krasinski)
• “Something smells good.  That is the exotic aroma of danger. If you’re here and I’m not dead, is this a date?” –    Luke Purdue   (John Krasinski)
• “Remember, you’re tourists, not tough guys.” – Esme (Eiza Gonzalez)

INTERESTING LINES:

•  “I’m the hand of mercy. My associates are the hand of judgement.” –  Esme  (Eiza Gonzalez)
• “It is what it is.  We are where we are.” – Harold (Daniel De Bourg)
• “Life is about the adventure. People don’t climb mountains just to get to some treasure at the top. And no, I can’t reconcile Dad’s great mystery about why the journey is more important than the prize, but I do know you have to go on the journey.” –  Luke Purdue (John Krasinski)
• “Our family name deserves to be revered.” – Luke Purdue (John Krasinski)
• “Some things you can’t explain…you can only experience.” – Charlotte Purdue (Natalie Portman)
• “There aren’t many who can touch and not take.” – Esme (Eiza Gonzalez)

MOVIES LIKE THIS YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE:

• National Treasure 1 & 2: https://amzn.to/4jtdDTZ
• Indiana Jones & Raiders of the Lost Ark: https://amzn.to/3T39ZFF

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