Dark Descent into Madness

Rating: 8/10 (25 December 2010)

"I just want to be perfect." This line illustrates the themes and hardships the main character faces in Black Swan. Fortunately, it also mostly tells of the quality of the film. Natalie Portman plays Nina, a gifted dancer who desires the role of the Swan Queen in a different version of the ballet Swan Lake. Right when she seems to have the role in the bag, along comes Lily, an effervescent dancer new to the company, portrayed by Mila Kunis. She reveals to be subtle, controlled, and free while she dances. These qualities are needed in order to play both the White Swan and the Black Swan in the dance. Shortly after, Nina is overcome with the desire to be perfect, and starts to hallucinate. She sees a double image of herself, drawings which become animated, and other shocking imagery as well. Black Swan is easily one of the best films of 2010. It functions well as a horror film, a psychological thriller, and a showcase of brilliant dancing. The chemistry between Portman and Kunis is seductive and shocking. Their performances convincingly reveal the power and eeriness of "the dark side." Both deserve to be in Oscar contention for their work, as does a scene-stealing Barbara Hershey as Nina's controlling mother. Black Swan will make you question whether the events and characters in this film are imaginary or not, and will leave you wondering for hours. This is a horror film for people who don't like horror films.