Goes to the "Average" shelf.

Rating: 6/10 (14 March 2011)

I do not want to say that I was disappointed by this movie completely but I have awaited a whole lot more of it after all the hype it received. I think it is attributable to the whole state of business in Hollywood during the last few years, that a mediocre title like the Black Swan can rise up to such heights.
What really struck me was the cliché-ness (I am sorry if that is not a word) of the plot and its characters. I have awaited a story about a developing character, however what I've got was a series of predictable scenes, which did not tell anything out of ordinary or spectacular. The character of Nina does not seem deep to me at all, instead she is simply depicted as a person haunted by horror-like visions and suffering from some roughly defined cliché disorders. In fact, the horror scenes could not be more overused. Doppelganger, shifting mirror reflections, creepy shadows, this movie has all.
Just as the effects, so is the "turning to the black swan" very obvious and predictable. The side characters are not even worth mentioning. The rival ballerina literally has black wings on her back, the mother explains it in plain words that she gave up her career for Nina, the choreographer goes directly after Nina's sexuality. Sexuality seems to be the key to everything in this movie. The scene where Nina gets drunk does not seem appropriate if it's purpose is to explain me that Nina is going through some kind of personal development...
Anyway. To cut things short. I don't think this will be a movie to remember, because it's just simply quoting whatever comes into your mind when you see the first 20 minutes of it.
What deserves recognition is certainly the crafting of the movie and the performance of Natalie Portman who makes this underdeveloped storyline still worth a watch.