I can see why people would have a bad idea about The Fountain based on that then.
The thing about The Fountain is that you cannot go in expecting something active and immediately catching. You have to actually invest in it to appreciate it because it has that thoughtful kind of pace that benefits from breaks between scenes to draw connections. I'm glad the entire movie doesn't hand you some two-bit words on life and death. It attempts to capture the uncertainty that shrouds mortality through three loose stories and a visual experience. It probably won't leave you feeling optimistic but that's entirely the point.