Review - Black Swan

Black Swan

Darren Aronofsky’s latest film, the Black Swan is a psychological thriller that during this Awards season is going to be very busy with nominations and awards being given to this film all over the place.

Black Swan is a psychological thriller that just like Aronofsky’s last offering the Wrestler which starred Mickey Rourke, is very much a film that is a success and driven by a superb performance from the main character which in this case is Natalie Portman.

There is a great supporting cast on top form with Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Winona Ryder and Barbara Hershey all putting in great performance, however Natalie Portman steals the show as Nina Sayers, a hard working ballerina who is chosen to be the lead in a new version of Swan Lake by her ballet production. She is perfect as the innocent White Swan however she struggles to portray the evil Black Swan and this leads to a conflict with the growing part of her that can be the perfect Black Swan and seems to be the evil within her.

Natalie Portman is superb as Nina and like Colin Firth in Kings Speech, is surely going to win the Oscar for best actress after a great performance as Nina’s good side and bad side. She plays the innocent Nina perfectly while showing the side of Nina that desires to be let out and seems evil and what Nina doesn’t want to be.

Vincent Cassel is creepy and interesting as Thomas the Ballet director who is intrigued by Nina and want her to loosen up while being the Black Swan as he knows she can do it. This leads to an interesting conflict as he supports Nina while also showing support to the dancer Lily played by Mila Kunis.

Lily is a new dancer to the production and while she may not be technically as good as Nina she is the perfect Black Swan and it comes natural to her. Nina is worried by Lily and thinks she is after her role which leads to a difficult relationship with her. Nina also has a complicated relationship with her mother.

 Even though she loves her and they get on,  Nina’s mother played by Barbara Rafferty is a failed dancer and is forcing her child to become what she wanted to be and this leads Nina to feel obliged to succeed which leads to problems when she struggles as the Black Swan.

Nina fears she may end up like Winona Ryder’s character who is Beth, the successful dancer who was replaced for the upcoming season and struggles with the fact her career is over. Beth may not be in many scenes but she leaves an impression of how harsh the world of Ballet can be when you are “finished” and this leads to  an interest and a belief that if Nina is replaced as lead that may be her finished.

As Nina faces the evil inside her as the innocence battles the evil as well as sexual desires she has that has blocked out, however it leads to creepy hallucinations throughout the film and views that Nina is struggling in her role.

Black Swan seems to move effortlessly scene by scene leaving you intrigued and captivated for the whole film and the ending is the perfect ending to a great film.

Black Swan is a must see and is up there for the top awards this awards season and rightfully so.

9/10