A psychological roller-coaster

Rating: 9/10 (4 January 2014)

Black Swan is one of those films whose artistic craft knocks you off your feet. I found it to be psychologically engaging on a profound level. Darren Aronofsky did a superb job creating a film that dives into the deep, dark depths of an increasingly unstable mind. He takes us on the psychological roller-coaster of an insane mind, and doesn't let us out of our seat until our minds have been rattled. After the film ends, we are left speechless, yet we have so much to say. This is a movie that sparks your mind in a unique, ingenious, and utterly bizarre way. The musical score, the acting, the directing, and the camera-work are excellent; they all contribute to the film's psychological framework. Most notably, of course, is Natalie Portman's performance. She was highly convincing in her portrayal as Nina, a disturbed young woman striving for perfection. As Nina leads herself down this detrimental road, we feel our own minds warping with hers. This is what makes Black Swan a superb work of psychological art. I highly recommend this to anyone who can appreciate an intriguing, bizarre, disturbing, and artistic film.