Apple TV+ has released Guy Ritchie's new film 'Fountain of Youth', which aims to revive the adventure genre in the spirit of 'National Treasure'. Find out whether it succeeded in our article.

If you've ever wondered what would happen if you crossed 'Indiana Jones' with 'National Treasure' (and 'The Da Vinci Code'), added British snobbery, and seasoned it all with Guy Ritchie's trademark smirk — congratulations, Apple TV+ has already made 'Fountain of Youth' for you. The only problem: the fountain turned out to be not so invigorating.

At the center of the story is Luke Purdue (John Krasinski), a failed archaeologist and part-time art thief for a higher purpose. He is reluctantly joined by his sister Charlotte (Natalie Portman), an art historian with a perpetually tired face and a baggage of family trauma (her husband wants to take away her custody rights over their son).

Together, at the behest of a dying billionaire (Domhnall Gleeson), they race around the world in search of the Fountain of Youth, the clues to whose location are hidden in those very paintings by Velázquez and other artists of the past. Along the way, the heroes encounter a collection of stereotypical villains, mysterious ladies (Eiza González), and obligatory motorcycle chases through the slums of Bangkok and other locations you probably thought of when you heard about the film's adventurous nature.

Let's start with the good — the film really doesn't let you get bored. Locations change so fast you'd think you've stumbled into a travel agency presentation: Bangkok, London, Ireland, the pyramids of Egypt… Guy Ritchie seems to have decided that the more clichés, the closer to success. The action is lively, the stunts are sometimes impressive (unlike the graphics), and Krasinski seems to genuinely enjoy running, jumping, and making faces, even if he doesn't quite measure up to a hero of the level of .

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But here's the trouble: behind all these flights, chases, and shootouts, the main thing is lost — the thrill and, forgive the pathos, the soul. It seems the budget is inflated to the size of an Egyptian pyramid (according to various sources, about $200 million was spent on the film), and the wonderful actors are in place, but the result is emptiness. The script is assembled from clichés, as if someone decided to go through a checklist of 'How to Make an Adventure Film' but forgot to add the item 'make it interesting.' The characters communicate as if by instruction: a joke (most of which ended up in the trailers), a line, a look at the camera, then on to the next route. Natalie Portman, usually capable of bringing even an IKEA instruction manual to life, looks here as if she's already on vacation.

Guy Ritchie, once a master of witty dialogue and signature British hooliganism, seems here to have forgotten how it works. In an attempt to keep up with the classics of the genre, he loses his own voice, turning into an imitator director who diligently copies others' moves but forgets his own trademark. 'Fountain of Youth' is not a new 'Snatch,' but rather a smaller haul, without the slightest hint of freshness.

As a result, 'Fountain of Youth' is a film for those who miss adventures but are willing to settle for their pale shadow. If you want to see Guy Ritchie spend other people's money on beautiful scenery and meaningless chases, you're welcome. For everyone else, it's better to rewatch good old Indiana Jones, and if you want British charm and that Ritchie style, go for 'Snatch.' Eternal youth, alas, remains somewhere in the past, and this fountain is more a fountain of disappointment than energy.

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