After “The Wrestler” earned critical acclaim and became a “Best Picture” nominee at the Oscars, Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Whale) worked on his next project known as “Black Swan.” One of my Top 5 favorite actresses, Natalie “Nat” Portman signed on to play the lead role. The Plot involves a ballerina named, Nina who dreams of making it big in the lead role of “Swan Lake.” Struggling with mental illness, Nina begins to lose her grip on reality.
Released in 2010, (same year Inception came out) it received critical acclaim from critics and movie goers alike. In addition to praise, the film made a bunch of money at the box office. Natalie Portman won an Oscar for “Best Actress.” Anyway, Ms. Portman’s next film, “May December” will be released in select theaters on November 17, 2023. It’ll eventually stream on December 1, 2023, exclusively on Netflix. Awards Season is around the corner. Which means my favorite season is back baby. Before I see my second favorite actress’ upcoming film, I wanna share my thoughts on Black Swan.
This review contains no crucial SPOILERS whatsoever. I’m giving you guys and gals a chance to see Black Swan.
Perfect & Imperfect Elements
Perfect: Natalie “Nat” Portman did an excellent job for her Oscar winning performance.
Other Cast Members such as Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey & Winona Ryder all did a solid job for their respective performances. It’s a shame Mila and her husband, Ashton Kutcher are complete a-holes for supporting their friend, Danny Masterson. A convicted rapist who killed his career is in the slammer. Perhaps he’s married to a big smelly man.
Darren Aronofsky did an awesome directing. He made sure everything’s according to plan.
Clint Mansell (Requiem for a Dream, Doom Patrol, Peacemaker) orchestrated the soundtrack.
Fun Fact #1: Nat learned how to dance with a dance instructor named, Benjamin Millepied. The two were married and have two kids. Sadly, the pair are no longer together.
Fun Fact #2: This isn’t the first time Nat played a dancer, she played a stripper in “Closer” If Mineta (from My Hero Academia) were real, he would’ve given her two thumbs way up.
Fun Fact #3: Nat suffered from injuries while filming her dance numbers. I’m giving her Bonus Points for enduring the pain. Like Leonardo DiCaprio injuring his hand in “Django Unchained,” she’s fearless and will do anything to win an Oscar.
The Tone is dark and scary as fudge. If you’re daughter has a passion for ballet, don’t let her watch this film. It’ll give her night terrors.
Scare Factor doesn’t rely on Jump Scares. It relies on Nina suffering from a combination of obsession and schizophrenia.
The film is primarily influenced by Satoshi Kon’s “Perfect Blue.” Darren’s an anime fan. Other influences such as “Rosemary’s Baby” & David Cronenberg’s body horror films. Most notably, “The Fly.”
Primary Themes are Obsession, Ambition, Narcissism, Mental Illness, Fame, Rivalry, Competition, Jealousy Anxiety & Duality. Each one is handled carefully.
Practical Effects and limited C.G.I. were used for certain body horror moments.
I’m gonna give Black Swan credit for inspiring Joaquin Phoenix’s “Joker.” Both films have a similar plot with the lead character, (a talented dancer) who lives with a mother, suffer from mental illness and want to make in show biz. Both Nat & Joaquin ultimately won an Oscar.
Before he made it big as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or MCU for short, Sebastian Stan makes a tiny appearance at a restaurant where Nina & Lily are eating together.
Without giving too much away, it’s up to the audience to decide the outcome of the Ending. Think of it as a multiple-choice answer.
Upon first view, you can rewatch the film for subtle clues.
Imperfect: Cinematography occasionally gets shaky.
The Final Verdict: A-
Black Swan is a near-perfect masterpiece. Natalie Portman deserved an Oscar for all that trouble she worked on the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy. I still consider “V for Vendetta” as her best work. If you’re gearing up for May December, how about a double feature for Black Swan & Joker? That’ll keep you busy.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 