There is nothing uplifting about this film. Black Swan is just one depressing unpleasant movie.

Rating: 7/10 (14 December 2014)

Not to be confused with the 1940s Tyrone Power's film, 'The Black Swan', this Black Swan is a very haunting film. Directed by Darren Aronofsky, the movie is a psychological thriller-horror flick about a committed ballet dancer, Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) in a competition between rival, Lily (Mila Kunis) trying to get the lead role of the dark and sensual Black Swan in the company production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. You really do see, her character overwhelmed by a feeling of immense pressure when she finds herself competing for the part, causing her to lose her tenuous grip on reality and descend into a living nightmare. The film is a twisted coming-of-age story. Even though Nina is a woman, she is very child-like, as she hasn't yet gone through experiences that usually occur much earlier in a girls' life such as body image issues, and coming to terms with sexuality. Due to this late adolescence development, Nina might not be all there. Natalie Portman is very much, deserving winning the Oscars: Best Actress award that year. She is a perfect fit for the role. I enjoy how the film was shot. The mirrors shots were used very good as it got us to the depth of Nina's dark side persona. I love all the dream like hallucinations. You really don't know, if she's dreaming up this nightmare, or if it's happening in the film. Lots of freeze-frame replay value, as several times, the movie blurs surrealism with reality. I like how one of Nina's mother's (Barbara Hershey) paintings appears to move slightly in an early scene, foreshadowing Nina's madness later. If you blink for one second, you might miss some really awesome split-second morphing such as Nina's Black Swan or White eye costume, or people's faces morphing into that of Thomas (Vincent Cassell). Blurred imagery of a nude woman can be seen in at least three frames, as well. Lots of scary imagery. There were some very eerie scenes in the movie, like the finger peeling scene. It was the one that got me, cinching. It had that David Cronenberg-style madness. The twist toward the end was great, even if it was kinda stupid. Maybe, I was hoping too much for a 2008's Wrestler type of an end. The movie was really a good thriller, but it really push the buttons on my feelings, and I really came out of the movie, kinda unhappy. Don't get me wrong, there were a few moments that were good. I like the use of classical music. The soundtrack is very engaging to listen to. I like how there were some semi-funny scenes like how Nina's mom can be a bit overbearing. Then, there was that really hot sexy scene that a lot of people love. Still, it kinda had that dirty feeling when watching it. The scene where Nina is masturbating is strangely uncomfortable. Even the much-anticipated lesbian sex scene is designed to deter rather than titillate the audience. The film does have some clever symbolism as it relates to the ballet play, Swan Lake. There are tons of Swan Lake Easter eggs throughout the film. In addition to that play, there's also some to Edgar Allan Poe's William Wilson, about a man with an opposite-natured doppleganger and the Greek myth of Icarus. Aronofsky also cites Fyodor Dostoyevsky's "The Double" as another inspiration for the film. Lots of meaningful names here, as well. Nina literally means "little girl" and is often used in diminutives of Russian names, showing how babied she is by her mother Erica. Lily reminiscent the name of Lilith, infamous demon and seductress of the night. The symbolism of Lily's tattoo, flower, symbolizes purity and the color white, as well as death and resurrection. Even with all visuals, the movie lacks good dialogue to go with it. It went a little excessive in the use of special effects. I was reading that the original screenplay, The Understudy written by Andres Heinz was a little more entertaining, with 1950's All About Eve drama set in the off-Broadway world. I just wish, this movie had that, too. Overall: It's an art-house masterpiece, but it doesn't translate into a good well-rounded film. Black Swan is a hard watch for me, with little to no entertaining value. It's had such a negative feeling to it that I felt worst, after watching it. I always believe that good depressing horror movies could be good if they have a good moral story to go with it like 1990's Jacob Ladder. Something to make you, want to live life harder. This movie is cold and nihilism, just there to make you depressed. That's isn't what type of film, I look for.