A psychological thriller blockbuster dressed in an art-house tutu.

Rating: 9/10 (26 May 2014)

A modern blockbuster art-house thriller, completely compelling whilst also being alienating and purposefully distant.
One of the most accurate and frightening depiction of insanity, obsession, and commitment to art in modern cinema. All set to the double-backed story of Swan Lake, with masterful performances by actress Natalie Portman and director Darren Aronofsky. You will be hard-pushed to find a better modern psychological thriller.
The pacing in Black Swan is impeccable, you cannot help but be swept up in the madness of the 3rd act. Natalie Portman's acting is certainly 'best actress' worthy, which is surprising considering Black Swan is a rather racy and dark film compared to the normal
I say that it is dressed in an art-house tutu because while the themes and allegory at play and the subject matter is more akin to art-house, the way in which it is presented is certainly not. It is an accessible, entertaining, crowd-pleasing film. This isn't a flaw, I wish more blockbusters did the same. In fact Black Swan works excellently as a portkey for art-house cinema virgins - Persona is an obvious recommendation for anyone who liked the Black Swan's themes of identity and the dissolution of identity.
Oh yeah by the way too, I wouldn't watch this with anyone else. Do yourself a favour and watch it alone.