Review: Black Swan

Fox Searchlight Pictures

I really like this picture. What does it tell us? That Natalie Portman is scary, yes, but also that this is more than a psychological thriller. 'Black Swan' is totally a horror movie. It sounds weird to say it because you naturally think of slashers and blood and guts, but trust me, this movie is far more unsettling and intense than any slasher film out there.

If you know anything about director Darren Aronofsky ('Requiem for a Dream', 'The Fountain', 'The Wrestler'), you know you're in for something that will most likely be dark and disturbing, but also highly stimulating. The cinematography was fantastic. I know many people think hand-held camera is a 'cop out' or overdone but it worked perfectly here; especially for capturing the dance scenes and Nina's (Portman) increasingly frantic state. In nearly every scene I braced myself for what jarring thing would happen next. This is primarily because of the fantastic story which follows Nina, a very talented but not very self-confident ballerina who tries out for and gets the part of the Swan Queen in the famous ballet Swan Lake. The instructor, Thomas (brilliantly played by creepy but commanding Vincent Cassel), applauds her portrayal of the Queen but keeps driving her on to be able to do the evil twin, the Black Swan, justice.

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Obviously, this leads to Nina having to find that confident, cunning, evil side to herself. To do so she has to overcome her unswerving obedience to her very intimidating, scary mother (wonderfully played by Barbara Hershey) and find a way to keep Thomas' interest focused on her and away from newcomer Lily (Mila Kunis). You really have no time to settle down during the entire movie. The way I felt through this film is comparable to the intensity and relentless thrill ride I got from 'Inception.' Except 'Inception' isn't incredibly uncomfortable.

Some may think 'Black Swan' is melodramatic and a bit cheesy. It's fairly easy to see where the story is going and what's going to happen (especially when you realize it's sort of a re-telling of the actual story of Swan Lake) and the imagery and events can come across as a bit much. But none of that mattered to me, I was totally engrossed from beginning to end. The musical score that mimicked the highly-dramatic, classical score of Swan Lake worked perfectly and complimented Aronofsky's filming style. Portman, Cassel, and Hershey should receive a lot of attention for their performances. Portman has already been getting a lot of buzz and nominations from the Golden Globes and other awards all over the board, but I really would like to see more for Cassel and Hershey, especially Cassel.

If there's one thing I've learned from Aronofsky it's that you'll likely be thrilled and mesmerized by his films but equally disturbed. I think it's a brilliant combination of reactions and I think this is Aronofsky's best achievement of both so far in his career. Although I am undecided as to who I'd like to see win the director's Oscar this year, Aronofsky definitely deserves a nomination at least.