“Raiders of the Lost Fountain: Why This International Treasure Hunt Is a Blast” Fountain of Youth (2025)
- Dan Brooks
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Two estranged siblings 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 grant them immortality.
I wandered into “Fountain of Youth” expecting another glossy amusement park ride through tropical jungles and dusty crypts—and Guy Ritchie delivers exactly that, only with more running commentary and fewer bus-sized boulders. Imagine National Treasure and Indiana Jones had a love child raised by a stunt coordinator and you’ll get the gist. But before you start dusting off your fedora, let me show you how this treasure hunt really plays out—and why John Krasinski’s grin is almost enough to make you forgive Hollywood for checking off a few boxes on the woke checklist.
I’m no stranger to big-screen treasure hunts. I grew up watching Dad reading dusty journals of adventurers, convinced I’d uncover C-4 rigged booby traps behind every aging cathedral doorway. “Fountain of Youth” opens with the kind of action sequence that says, “Buckle up, buttercup.”
Two estranged siblings—played by John Krasinski and eventually Natalie Portman, with John's real-life brother-in-law Stanley Tucci (in a cheeky cameo as The Elder)—John's locked in a chase across an antique sale in Marrakesh that culminates in scooter chases and a tumble into a hut with a straw roof (props to the stunt double). It’s the kind of start that tells you: this movie has been to the gym and hired a stunt team that looks hungry.
Our heroes, Stef Bradford—no, wait, wrong script. It’s Lucas Purdue (Luke Purdue), the plucky sibling whose primary skill seems to be arguing with every man he meets and then punching them senseless. Opposite him is Charlotte Purdue, his sister, played by Natalie Portman’s (except, you know, with actual talent). Together they decipher cryptic diaries belonging to Alfred Vanderbilt’s great-grandfather—yep, the real Vanderbilt who went down with the Lusitania in 1915—to locate the key to the Fountain of Youth, cleverly hidden in a Rembrandt smuggled aboard that doomed ship. That’s a layered Easter egg: nod to writer James Vanderbilt’s lineage and a nifty historical wink.
John Krasinski swoops in, local historian and part-time heartthrob, armed with cinematic charisma that could probably tranquilize a pissed-off Komodo dragon. His baritone narration and those piercing baby blues remind you why the guy went from Office schmuck to genuine movie – dare I say – star. He anchors the film’s occasional lapses into silliness. Because silly it sometimes is—especially when Luke Purdue can’t land a haymaker on the main female villain (played by Eiza González), then turns around and flattens her henchman like a rolled-up newspaper. If women are from Venus and men are from Mars, Luke’s fists are definitely lost in space.
Speaking of Eiza González, she returns to Ritchie’s fold after “Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare” and “In the Grey,” proving there’s no escape once you’ve earned a Ritchie credit. She prowls the film with liquid-steel eyes and a wardrobe that could bankrupt a royal family. Her chemistry with Arian Moayed's Inspector Jamal Abbas (a cross between Inspector Clouseau and a TED Talk speaker) fizzles only when the plot demands it. Carmen Ejogo’s Deb McCall is underused—like a surprise dessert you forget to order until it’s too late.
I will say this: the film delivers on its promise of adventure. Cavernous temples, collapsing rope bridges, and triple crosses abound. Those “Indiana Jones parallels” you heard about? They’re there, smack in the middle of the script like a cameo by Harrison Ford’s stunt double. National Treasure vibes? Check—history class meets explosive set-piece. If you squint, you can almost see Nicholas Cage wearing a powdered wig, shouting about conspiracies in the Library of Congress.
And there are the plot twists: there’s the predictable betrayal by the suave historian, the long-lost sibling reveal, and yes, the “it was all a dream” gag—thankfully cut before the credits. Still entertaining because Krasinski and Portman’s magnetic banter redeem the soap-opera turns. Even Luke Purdue’s inability to throw a decent punch at Gonzalez’s character feels more endearing than maddening after a while. It’s the movie’s equivalent of that little kid in karate class who just can’t land the kick but keeps showing up.
In the final sequence, our ragtag team locates the Fountain, hidden in a veritable Jurassic-sized chamber under a maze of tombs that looks expensive enough to warrant its own tax bracket. They decide—cue the tearful violin—that maybe immortality isn’t the point. Maybe it’s the friends we made along the way, blah blah. You’re left wondering if they’ll follow up with “Fountain of Youth: The Hangover Part II.”
All told, “Fountain of Youth” is a rollicking time-waster that hits enough high notes to distract you from the occasional clunk. Guy Ritchie’s signature pacing and wry humor keep the wheels turning even when you see the next pothole. And Krasinski? He’s the MVP, turning every rolled-eyes moment into something charming.
Final Ranking: 7.5/10
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