Ballerinas and bloodshed...overwrought and distinctly unpleasant

Rating: 5/10 (30 January 2012)

Talented young ballet dancer (Oscar-winner Natalie Portman) is awarded the leading role of The Swan Queen in a big, new production of "Swan Lake"...but the advice given to her by the impresario--to completely immerse herself in the dual role of the doomed girl and her evil doppelgänger--is, unfortunately, taken literally. Director Darren Aronofsky is known for his dark bravado and penchant for ugly physicality; he's an often-brilliant filmmaker who burrows himself into the twisted, downward spiral of a hopeless human condition, taking the audience with him as his prisoners. But here, what with an already-thin screenplay to work from, Aronofsky weakens the picture with his onslaught of visual tricks and shocks. There's certainly potential in the narrative, however the schizoid psycho-drama (which Aronofsky was no doubt attracted to) takes over in ludicrous fashion. Portman wretches and cries and snips her fingernails down to bloodied nubs--it's an exhausting tour-de-force--yet her strongest personality moment is a subtle one (having drinks with the lascivious Mila Kunis in a bar). Written by Mark Heyman, Andrés Heinz, and John McLaughlin, from Heinz' original treatment, the picture is a horrific potboiler; it looks good, and gets off to a very strong start, but dissipates due to the general overkill. The finale is a grand-scale build-up to nothing, with confusing behind-the-stage action and interrelationships, while the actors themselves come off looking rather silly. ** from ****