Guy Ritchie’s new Apple TV+ film Fountain of Youth dropped on the platform on May 23, 2025, with John Krasinski and Natalie Portman as bickering siblings on a globe-trotting quest for the legendary fountain of eternal youth. The film blends myth, high-stakes adventure, and slick visuals, but despite its credentials, it’s been given a cool reception.
The story is about Luke Purdue (Krasinski), a charming, reckless art thief who is not in it for the money. He’s chasing centuries-old clues pertaining to the mythical Fountain of Youth—clues embedded in Renaissance paintings, ancient relics, and aged scrolls. His estranged sister Charlotte (Portman), a museum curator, is dragged reluctantly into the adventure while dealing with her own personal issues, including a divorce and custody battle. They’re financed by Owen Carver (Domhnall Gleeson), a dying billionaire who’s keen to drink from the fabled waters. They journey from the dusty museums to Egyptian pyramids, navigating hidden traps, deadly guardians, and moral decisions along the way.
The film depends to a great extent on visual spectacle and exotic settings, shot on location in Bangkok, Vienna, and Liverpool. Eiza González plays Esme, a mysterious keeper of secrets of the fountain, and Stanley Tucci appears in a small but memorable part. James Vanderbilt scripted the film and it’s very much in the style of Ritchie’s stylized mode—quick cuts, snappy dialogue, and a blend of action with comic tension.
However, Fountain of Youth has not exactly struck gold with critics. It’s at 37% on Rotten Tomatoes and has a Metacritic score of 42, with several critics labeling it a watered-down mix of Indiana Jones and National Treasure. The Guardian called it “a soulless misadventure,” and Polygon criticized it for starting out strong but quickly devolving into lack of originality.
But the movie attempts to go deeper. Its ending puts a spin on the typical treasure-hunt genre. Luke ultimately refuses the gift of immortality, realizing it would come at the cost of his loved ones. Owen drinks from the fountain and faces the punishment. In the end, the fountain is shut, the message clear: what matters isn’t immortality, but the relationships we forge and the life we lead.
Now streaming on Apple TV+, Fountain of Youth offers enough style to entertain, if not quite cinematic immortality.
