If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if National Treasure had a baby with Spy Kids… then left it unsupervised, Fountain of Youth is your answer.
Welcome to a wild ride through Apple TV’s latest treasure-hunting escapade, Fountain of Youth, a film that takes the phrase “age is just a number” and turns it into a chaotic family road trip with puzzles, police, and a child who apparently read the script ahead of everyone else.
The film follows siblings Nolan (John Krasinski) and Nora (Natalie Portman) on a globe-trotting adventure to find the elusive Fountain of Youth. What starts as an archaeological mystery quickly turns into a chaotic game of clue-solving, cryptic keys, and questionable parenting decisions, as the duo (plus one very clever kid) stay one step ahead of law enforcement and rival treasure hunters.
Let’s talk about the Portman-Krasinski pairing — and thank the cinematic gods they’re playing siblings, not lovers. For once, we get to enjoy a dynamic free from smoldering glances and unnecessary make-out scenes. Instead, we get bickering, banter, and bonding — and it works. Natalie Portman brings her signature steeliness to Nora, including a running gag where she emphatically says “no,” only to immediately do exactly what she said she wouldn’t. It’s hilarious, and honestly too relatable.
John Krasinski, meanwhile, is basically playing Nathan Drake on decaf — a charismatic, occasionally clumsy adventurer with just enough charm to keep you rooting for him. He’s funny, physical, and effortlessly likable. Someone cast this man in a proper action franchise already.
Eiza González, however, is stuck in a subplot that’s been microwaved from every cop-chasing-an-antihero story since 2003. She deserved better. The whole cat-and-mouse police angle felt like it was lifted straight from a rejected CSI: Treasure Division spin-off.
Visually? This movie is mint. The driving sequences are shot with flair — sweeping drone shots, clever dashboard angles, and a few Fast-and-Furious-lite moments that somehow work in this family-friendly setting.
The soundtrack bounces between orchestral adventure scores and modern pop-lite interludes, which helps keep the tone light, even when the plot goes a bit off-road.
There’s limited CGI, but what’s there is polished, clean, and up to Apple TV’s standard (aka “premium streaming budget with theater dreams”). And animation elements? None, really — just a lot of practical effects and shiny relics that look like they were borrowed from an Indiana Jones garage sale.
Let’s be real: Fountain of Youth had potential. A cool title, a charismatic lead duo, and enough adventure hooks to keep us hopeful. But once you dive into the actual narrative, you’ll find it’s more water fountain than life fountain.
The story starts strong, with cryptic clues and globe-hopping energy. But then… they bring in the kid. And somehow, this pint-sized puzzle prodigy becomes the one solving ancient mysteries like he’s got Google Glass built into his brain. It’s fun for five minutes, then just mildly infuriating.
The final act is where things really fizzle — all flashy lights, sparks, and noise, but no heart. It feels like someone yelled “climax!” and the editors just threw in every effect preset they had. There’s no emotional payoff, no real tension — just noise.
And while Apple TV tried to polish this like a theatrical gem, it’s clear why this one quietly made its way to streaming. It’s entertaining enough for a Friday night on the couch, but nothing worth queueing up at a cinema for.
Fountain of Youth isn’t a bad time, it’s just a missed opportunity. It shines in moments — thanks to the sibling chemistry, slick camerawork, and John Krasinski’s charm — but stumbles over its own plot twists, a kid who’s too smart for the genre, and a climax that needed more soul and less sparkle.
Watch it if: you love a good sibling duo, can tolerate a precocious kid, and don’t mind adventure movies that almost get there.
Skip it if: you want originality, tension, or a third act that actually delivers.
