Partial “Fountain of Youth” poster featuring Domhnall Gleeson, Benjamin Chivers, Natalie Portman, … More
Fountain of Youth — a new fantasy movie starring Natalie Portman and John Krasinski — is being met with harsh reviews from critics.
Fountain of Youth debuts on Apple TV+ on Friday. The logline for the movie reads, “A treasure-hunting mastermind (Krasinski) assembles a team for an epic, life-changing quest filled with adventure. But to outwit and outrun threats at every turn, he’ll need someone even smarter than he is: his estranged sister (Portman).
“The two siblings join forces and use historical clues to seek the legendary Fountain of Youth.”
Directed by Guy Ritchie, Fountain of Youth also stars Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson, Benjamin Chivers, Carmen Ejogo, Laz Alonso and Stanley Tucci.
As of this publication, Fountain of Youth has received a 32% “rotten” rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics based on 52 reviews. RT’s Critics Consensus and Popcorn meter score based on verified user ratings is still pending.
What Are Individual Critics Saying About Natalie Portman And John Krasinski’s ‘Fountain Of Youth’?
William Bibbiani of The Wrap is among the top critics on RT who gives Fountain of Youth a “rotten” review, writing, “I would seriously consider cutting off one of my own fingers if it meant I didn’t have to spend two hours alone in a room with John Krasinski’s protagonist from Guy Ritchie’s Fountain of Youth.”
Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle also criticizes the director, writing in his review on RT, “Ritchie remains lacking in his ability to direct actors. John Krasinski, Eiza González and Natalie Portman all star in Fountain of Youth, and they’ve never been so unappealing.”
Meanwhile, Frank Sheck of The Hollywood Reporter takes aim at another one of Fountain of Youth’s filmmakers in his “rotten” review, writing on RT, “It’s all as predictable as you’d expect, with the screenplay by James Vanderbilt failing to provide the wit necessary to make the film stand out in any way.”
In his review of The Fountain of Youth on RT, Kevin Maher of the Times (UK) simply writes, “It’s chaotic, numbing and dull.”
On the flip side, Todd Gilchrist of Variety gives the film a “fresh” review on RT — albeit with some reservations — writing, As a spirited time-filler, Fountain of Youth gets the job done, but anyone looking for a deeper exploration of the search for eternal life may find this little more insightful than a stopped clock.”
Kate Erbland of IndieWire also gives the action-adventure movie a “fresh” take on RT, writing, “Some mysteries can’t ever be cracked, but Fountain of Youth sure tries to keep the journey through this one as flashy — and, hell, even sometimes quite fun — as possible.”
Rated PG-13, Fountain of Youth, starring Natalie Portman and John Krasinski, premieres on Apple TV+ on Friday.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/timlammers/2025/05/23/critics-trash-natalie-portman-and-john-krasinskis-fountain-of-youth/