The Black Swan: Review

In Black Swan, the movie that everyone is talking about, Natalie Portman gives the performance of her career as lost little girl Nina; a woman-child with an obsessive personality. Nina is obsessed with perfection, whether that be her body or her ballet performances. It appears throughout the film that she does not even seem to enjoy ballet, unlike sexy strumpet and all round free spirit Lily who flows with the music and embraces the sensuality of dance. The dichotomy between the virginal Nina and the charismatic, sexual Lily is in obvious (to the extent of slightly heavy handed) comparison to the white and black swan in the New York City ballet company's up-coming play Swan Lake. The last Swan Queen (played by the excellent Winona Ryder) has been pushed out of the company for fresher meat, much to her embittered chagrin. To save the role of Swan Queen from the clutches of manipulative Lily Nina must embrace her dark side, let out her neuroses and latent psychotic behaviour and transform before our eyes into the black swan.

The gripping melodrama and pyscho-horror of Black Swan is intensified by Darren Aronofsky's use of New York City's tall buildings, shadowed alleys and darkened rooms. In fact the whole movie seems to be shrouded in darkness which becomes increasingly noticeable and more claustrophobic as the film races to it's tragic end. Not only does Nina have to cope with the back stabbing Lily and the attempts at seduction from sleazy yet talented director Thomas, she also has a resentful Mother who became pregnant during a relatively unsuccessful ballet career and is now forcing her lost dreams onto her fragile daughter. Their turbulent relationship is based on the mother's controlling and possessive behaviour and the underlying resentment on both parts.

Her Mother is aware of Nina's self harming and uses it as a weapon in arguments, not realising that her daughter wouldn't be such a perfectionist if it were not for her mother's demands. The moments throughout the film that Nina does harm herself are always seen in the aftermath of one of her disturbing fantasies. Her back is continuously scratched at, almost a nervous tic, and the skin is peeling off around her nails (a sign of possible anorexia). Nina is growing up and wishes to be rid of her infantile bedroom with it's teddy bears and pink wallpaper; she wants to spread her wings from her mother's disciplinarian nest but is not mentally strong enough to do so. This is why Lily's knock on the door, during yet another battle for power, is an opportunity for Nina to escape and rebel from her regimented life.

The two go out, take drugs, drink alcohol and dance freely without need to watch another to learn the moves to perfection. Nina ends up having sex in a nastily lit toilet with a man she barely knows. It is at that moment that the drugs wear off and she tries to escape the long and thin corridors in the club, only to go outside to the claustrophobic streets of Manhattan. There is no escape for Nina from her inner or outer turmoil and the two girls head home for a night of passion. In the morning Nina wakes alone and realises she is late for ballet practice; Lily had not woken her up in an attempt to sabotage Nina's opportunity as the Swan Queen. Nina arrives late to see Lily has stepped in to fill her role. She is ready to fight her enemy but Lily's faux innocence, confused face and mocking denial of staying the night is confusing both for Nina and for the audience. Having already seen the psychotic fantasies that Nina is prone to it does make us question whether Lily truly is trying to overthrow her friend.

The film continues with visual imagery of Nina's metamorphosis. She imagines her legs snapping, her toes webbing and the scratch on her back starts to grow wings out of it. Mirrors are also used to show her mental instability and Nina begins to believe that her reflection is still watching her when she is no longer looking at herself. On opening night Lily is seen groping one of the male dancers who proceeds to come on stage with Nina and drops her in front of the audience. The treachery of Lily is clear and in the intermission she finds her enemy in the dressing room. The two fight, a mirror is broken and as Lily strangles Nina, Nina stabs her in self defence then hides the body in the shower. Having fully embraced her dark side Nina goes back on stage to give the performance of her life.

In the second interval Nina is praised for her brilliance but she is distracted and races to her room to find blood coming out from beneath the shower door. She puts a towel over the blood to cover it after hearing a knock at the door. It is an impressed and apologetic Lily who praises Nina. Nina shuts the door on her and turns to the shower. It is empty! She looks down at her stomach and sees the blood seeping out. Holding a hand over her wound, she weeps quietly before being called back on stage for the final scene. As the white swan waves to her audience and throws herself into the abyss of death the crowd goes wild. Thomas runs to her and praises Nina for becoming immersed in the role. He notices the blood and her shallow breathing and calls for an ambulance. Nina smiles at him and says "I felt it... It was perfect.... I was perfect."

As far as twisted horror movies go this is the best you will see all year. It is dark, disturbing, at times deranged but definitely something fresh to see at the cinema. Black Swan is a visual treat that grips you from beginning to end (with the added bonus of seeing the incredibly stunning Mila Kunis put her head between Natalie Portman's thighs). At times the boxed in, shadowed surroundings can get a bit much for the viewer but there won't be another film in the psycho-horror genre that excels on all levels like this does for a while.