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By
Makuochi Echebiri
Published Feb 18, 2026, 8:30 PM EST
Makuochi Echebiri is a News Writer for Collider. He has been interested in creative writing from as far back as high school, and he would consume pretty much anything that’s film or TV. However, his truest love lies in the presence of historical epics and thrillers.
Lured by the brilliance of Middle Earth from an early age both in print and on screen, his palate has since expanded to other realms including Westeros, Kattegat among others. He also possesses a great appetite for the stories that emanate from the vastness of space. Even though he is no Avenger.
Obsessed with storytelling and having works of his own that have yet to make it to print, he is content to use that ability to communicate to as many as are reachable. In his spare time, he looks out for avenues where he can aid people aside from his plans to reign over this earthly realm. Yes…you heard that first here.
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In the past decade, one has to admit that director Guy Ritchie has been incredibly busy, directing several projects. While Ritchie's diligence and workload have been commendable, the products have not lived up to expectations. Ritchie has been on a streak of box office flops in recent years, with King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and the Jason Statham-led Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, prime examples.
Ritchie's underrated war thriller, The Covenant, and his blood-soaked WWII film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, might not have performed well at the box office, but these films have often been praised by critics and are loved by audiences. His last real box office hit in recent times at the box office remains Wrath of Man, which was released in 2021. Setting aside his struggles at the box office with feature films, the director has been able to express his genius with success in shows such as Netflix's The Gentlemen and Paramount+'s MobLand, which stars Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren, and Pierce Brosnan.
For all the talk about Ritchie's “flop era," which does have some truth to it. His most controversial movie has refused to stay buried. Fountain of Youth, Ritchie’s Apple TV+ adventure film, which was the director's attempt at developing an Indiana Jones-style film, has quietly taken root on the Apple TV charts. The film has crossed 320 days in the Top 10 of the Apple TV charts. It is a remarkable feat, especially when one considers that the film premiered to one of the iciest receptions ever for a Ritchie film. With Rotten Tomatoes scores of 35% from critics and 38% from audiences, Fountain of Youth stands as the fourth lowest-rated film the director has helmed, despite boasting a killer cast including John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, Eiza González, and Domhnall Gleeson.
Is 'Fountain of Youth' Worth Watching?
In the aftermath of success from directing and penning the acclaimed Russell Crowe historical drama Nuremberg, Fountain of Youth brought on James Vanderbilt to pen the script. The film follows estranged siblings Luke (Krasinski) and Charlotte (Portman) as they reunite for a globetrotting hunt for the legendary Fountain of Youth, teaming up with a crew of specialists to solve historical puzzles and chase immortality. Collider's review of the movie was not as scathing as others, with Fountain of Youth described as a refreshing, if imperfect, departure for Ritchie that trades his usual cynicism for a more hopeful, throwback adventure tone.
"There are a handful of scenes where we do see Ritchie's personality shine through, including a car chase through the streets of London in the film's first act, which has the quick editing that keeps the excitement going. Other times, Ritchie seems to have restrained himself, and he didn't really need to, either, including a fairly anti-climactic third-act reveal that's telegraphed from a mile away. The thing is, Fountain of Youthcould have easily been just another bad movie made for streaming, and the fact that it isn't is an accomplishment in of itself. It's a perfectly watchable movie designed to keep you entertained for two hours on a rainy Sunday afternoon."
Fountain of Youth is streaming now on Apple TV.
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Fountain of Youth
Like Follow Followed PG-13 Adventure Fantasy Mystery Release Date May 19, 2025 Runtime 126 minutes Director Guy Ritchie Writers James Vanderbilt Producers Jake Myers, William Sherak, Dana Goldberg, David Ellison, Don Granger, Tripp Vinson, Ivan AtkinsonCast
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John Krasinski
Luke Purdue
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Natalie Portman
Charlotte Purdue
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Guy Ritchie
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Fountain of Youth
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