Over-rated but OK.

Rating: 6/10 (9 September 2012)

Knowing almost nothing about ballet, I watched this film after hearing good things about it. I thought it was going to be based on the tragic life of some Prima Donna. It turned out to be more of a shock horror movie rather than a study of disturbed psychology and was unrealistic and sensationised.
It isn't a bad film, but I certainly isn't worth the 10/10s I keep seeing on IMDb.com. It reminded me a bit of Gilliam's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (only without the hilarity) probably because of the abundance of hallucinatory visual effects which were very well done; but also because both films were so highly over-rated! There was very little way of development in the film. The main character, Nina, starts off as being deranged and gets even more deranged then dies. The performances, however, were strong and I particularly enjoyed Portman, especially in the dance of the black swan, with the wings growing on her, and of course the music, though there was surprisingly little dancing.
May be I had the wrong expectations, but whatever one's expectations this film is not more than a 6/10.