Black Swan - Thoughts

I came across the trailer for Black Swan a couple of months ago; it caught my attention thanks to Natalie Portman’s involvement in it. I wasn't overly enamored by it though, as I didn't see a ballet themed movie gripping my interest. It caught my attention again after the 2011 Oscar’s, wherein it won the award for best actress, not to mention several other nominations. In Black Swan Natalie Portman is a ballerina who has a dream of playing the Swan Queen in a ballet theatre production; her journey there being troubled, as she battles her inner self and is on the verge of losing her mind.


Going into it I knew that the Black Swan would have a lot of ballet and theatre; I was also aware that it was billed as a thriller, which was indeed promising. Right from the opening sequences Black Swan is dark; the entire movie is viewed from the perspective of Natalie Portman, and comes across as disturbed. Camera angles, lighting, and editing are perfect, and every minute of this psychological thriller comes across as troubled; as is Portman’s perspective of life. The pace consistently maintains the suspense, leaving the audience constantly questioning reality, paranoia and the outcome. Overall Darren Aronofsky has achieved near perfection in the Black Swan; leaving no doubt as to why it has had as many nominations. Besides its artistic value, commercially too Black Swan has been extremely successful, grossing over 8 times its production budget by the beginning of March 2011, in the United States alone. If you enjoy thrillers, ballet, theatre or Natalie Portman, the Black Swan should be numero uno on your must watch list. Give it a miss if dark and mildly disturbing movies are not your thing. Don't be mistaken… there's no casual entertainment value here!

Natalie Portman plays Nina, the lead role in the Black Swan. After watching the movie, there's no doubt as to why she was awarded the Oscar. The myriad of emotions that her character experiences during the course of the movie are embodied astoundingly; be it confusion, euphoria, sadness, or self-doubt. Mila Kunis plays Lily, whose personality is a perfect contrast to Nina’s. She's bold, outgoing, and comes across like a gal who knows how to have a good time. Watch her for a bit and you'll be left with a feeling of wanting to have her as a friend. Vincent Cassel plays Thomas Leroy, the master tutor and head of the theatre production team; a passionate and intense Frenchman. One of Black Swan’s key strengths is its strong performances.

I watched this one in the theatre, and the video had a noticeably dark mood to it. Lighting was always just enough, with no overly bright moments. Colors again were never too vivid; in keeping with the dark theme of the movie. Some of the scenes were noticeably grainy, but I'm guessing that this was also intentional. Sound was good, and dialog was clear throughout. Surround separation was noticeable, and used appropriately to enhance the suspense element.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (A gripping murky psychological thriller; prepare to be swept away by Natalie Portman!)