Black Swan
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel & Mila Kunis
108 Min./ USA
Black Swan tells the story of Nina, a talented ballet dancer who always has been in the shadow of other dancers. Artistic director Thomas Leroy gives Nina the opportunity to play Swan Queen, which means playing both white and black swan. It is clear that she is the ideal character to play the white swan, which stands for innocence and beauty, but is she also capable of playing the role of black swan.
Nina is doing everything to master the role of black swan, which represents deception and temptation. Art director Leroy has strong doubts whether she is capable of acting as the black swan. The pressure continues to grow, especially when Leroy implies there is another candidate to play Swan Queen. Is she able to handle the pressure. What follows is a shadow play in the mind of Nina. It is not always clear what is reality for Nina. More and more the black swan takes possession of her. Madness seems to take the place of beauty that was once was so beautifully visible in the white swan.
Director Darren Aronofsky has already shown in his masterpiece Requiem For A Dream that he is capable of showing the surrealism of the psyche on screen. His latest film Black Swan is also very successful in capturing this element on film. The role of Natalie Portman is beautiful. Without a doubt she deserved that oscar for this role. Black Swan is a wonderful combination of ballet and a psychological thriller. Perhaps the best work of Darren Aronofsky.
[rating:8/10]
Review by: Sieto Kooijker
