Balanced like a ballerina...

Rating: 9/10 (5 April 2011)

Darren Aronofsky has made some of the most remarkable nightmares on film. Whether plunging into the mystique of numerology, the destructive wages of drug abuse, or the woes of a wrestler past his prime, Aronofsky makes films of style and intellect that are topped by very few directors, especially in this day and age. Sure enough, "Black Swan" is just as worthy of a film as the director's previous efforts.
I felt the film started off as a typical, mild character-driven drama; lots of ladies dancing, lots of bitter rivalry and stress, but little on conflict, much less style. But toward the second half, the film became totally whack. A few visual hints are dropped in the first half, which will likely make you blink and ask yourself "did I really see that?!" In the second half, it becomes substantially more intense, the visuals become extraordinarily trippy and surreal, and all conflict reaches a proper climax. If you stick with it, the film will be engrossing and sublime, with enough emotional punch and food-for-thought to keep you intrigued and entertained. I'd say it's about as rewarding as "Fight Club." The story itself is simple and straightforward; a petty drama involving ballerinas doing a bold new vision of the Swan Lake spiel. As the film goes on, it reaches deeper beneath the surface and pulls up some strong character development and refreshing thematic territory. This is very much a story about perfection, not only in the dancers' performances, but in the sense of duality: the union between light and dark creates a perfect balance that ultimately drives the main character to confront, fight, and ultimately transform herself. Not to mention, there are also some strong themes concerning maturity, lifestyles, sexuality, and ambition. The film also manages to throw in decent helpings of paranoia, and works very effectively to toy around with the audience's sense of understanding what's real in the film and what isn't. In the end, it may not be a terribly grandiose plot, but it does have great depth, and I find the central theme of corruption and duality quite elegant.
As far as the cinematography goes, I was pleased with the photography; there are some bouncy documentary-style cameras, but not nearly as many as I expected. Editing is excellent. Acting is great; Natalie Portman is perfect as Nina and Vincent Cassel is good. I usually find it hard to take Mila Kunis seriously, but she actually did a great job here. Writing seems good. Production value is high, and contains some awesome costumes and interesting sets. Clint Mansell's use of classical music fits this movie well, and does have a few standout moments.
There are quite a few sex scenes, a few cringe-worthy moments, and a lot of dark surreal imagery, and will likely deter some viewers. But none of it is overly-graphic or gratuitous at all, and I see little reason not to recommend it to anybody.
4.5/5 (entertainment: 4/5, story: 4.5/5, film: 4.5/5, emotional impact: 3/5)