Movie review: Black Swan
Riveting and mind blowing, Black Swan is a must see. This spine-chilling movie will have you questioning what’s real and what isn’t.
The movie is about a young ballet dancer, Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), whose life has always revolved around the ballet and her overprotective mother. The director of the ballet, Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel), decides to start the new season with a production of Swan Lake, a ballet about a young woman who gets turned into a swan but can only be turned back by the kiss of her true love. However, she is betrayed by her evil twin, the Black Swan, who seduces her true love.
Nina and the other dancers audition for the part of the Swan Queen (since they’re twins, both the Black and White Swan are danced by the same person). Captivated by her White Swan dance, Leroy decides to make Nina the Swan Queen. However, he’s frustrated that Nina doesn’t have the sensuality and deviousness that the Black Swan must have. He tells Nina to find her inner darkness. Nina struggles with this, as well as with the competition from a new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis) who has the edgy persona to dance the Black Swan.
I must tell you that if you don’t like movies that make you second-guess what’s happening, then Black Swan is not for you because there are deceptive moments throughout. Nina’s mind begins to play tricks on her and she starts to see things that aren’t real. I even began to wonder if what I saw was really happening or not. Angered by the presence of Lily, Nina grows more devious as she releases the Black Swan within herself.
Natalie Portman’s performance was amazing. I was shocked to see her play such a dark and sexual role because off screen she looks so sweet and innocent. I loved every second of her acting. The same goes for Mila Kunis, who was astounding. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the sex scene between her and Portman. It was so unexpected.
Despite being a movie about ballet, I think anyone can get into it. It wasn’t just about beauty and glamour, it was about the horrors that lie within a person. Even my brother, who’s much more into superhero movies, liked it.
Overall, the dancing, the music and the story were incredible. I think this movie is perfect.