Fold in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going because they were holding on to something. There is some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.
Tarkovsky belongs in the pantheon of European art cinema that influenced Woody Allen. The blatant narcissism in this film is explicit in many of Allen's films. But unlike Allen who is a comedian, Tarkovsky had no interest in helping the audience follow the story.