Aronofsky is evolving ..... without losing his roots! Wow!

Rating: 8/10 (27 February 2011)

Nina is an aspiring ballet dancer. All she strives for is the role of the swan in swan lake. Playing the white swan doesn't seem to be the problem, rather the black swan develops into an obstacle. After the director of her school tells her to be the next swan Nina falls into a twisted daydream battling yet welcoming her dark side.
The story is as simple as it is complex at the same time. But the joker of this film is definitely Aronofsky's typical pace-play, cut, camera and most of all: sound design! Especially the sound makes this film exceptional - while on one hand it is filled with beautiful classical music performed mostly minimally (piano) and on the other with dark distorted spheres, back-hair-raising-sound effects and very creative transitions to support the cut pace. Aronofsky quotes himself without forgetting to show development and exactly those "once missing elements" make this film very mature and yes, indeed a worthy Academy Award contestant.
In my opinion the film sometimes had scenes stretched a little too long while it could have celebrated others to a larger extent. Overall it was very impressive to see a film that can't really be compared to anything I have ever seen. Sure, the story is not the most original but in this case it's more about how it is told.
The triangle Portman-Cassel-Kunis works just perfectly - carrying this film with all its beauty and horror.
If you trace back the history of Darren Aronofsky's films this one definitely marks a milestone. It is the combination of elements he was experimenting with in the past - and now put together to a wonderful intermezzo! I'm impressed!