Review: Black Swan (2010)

Black Swan (2010)

This is a film that I remember liking very much when I saw it in the theatre almost a decade ago, however, for whatever reason I don't actually think I've seen it since then. As time passes with films like this, you start to question whether the memory you have of the film is actually accurate, which leads you to finally dust off the DVD case and gave the film a long over-due watch.

After watching Black Swan last night, I can now confidently say that this is a remarkable film. I loved pretty much everything about it - the dark atmosphere juxtaposed with the beauty and serenity of ballet, the twisted and gruesome decay of Nina's mental-state, the cinematography of the ballet sequences, and, of course, the absolutely stellar performance by Natalie Portman. Portman, in particular, really blew me away. I originally saw the film prior to her winning the Oscar and so it was always in my mind that she was very good but now being able to go back to the performance many years later I can now see whole-heartedly why she deserved to win.

Darren Aronofsky is one of the most talented director/writers working today. Although he is by no-means underground any more, he still strives to push the boundaries of story-telling and narrative, always with darkly psychological and visceral undertones. He has many incredible films, but Black Swan (which he notably did not write) might be his most directional story-wise - the tension begins mounting from the first scene, and the story never really strays from Nina at any point. For anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers, ballet, and stunning performances, I highly recommend Black Swan.