Black Swan

Black Swan is a truly, utterly horrifying film. It made me want to curl up into a ball in the aisle.

But in a good way.

For those whom haven't seen any synopses, the film focuses on a young ballerina, Nina, promoted to her first big role as the Swan Queen in Swan Lake. The role requires playing two characters: the virginal, fearful and tremulous white swan, and the sexual, sensual black swan, who steals away the whtie swan's prince and hope of redemption and leaves her to her death.

Nina is technically perfect and has no problem playing the white swan. However, she's too perfect for the black swan and can't let go, lose herself in the part and make people believe. The story follows the unravelling of her psyche, as she searches for her black swan, slowly losing her mind to doppelgangers, bloody hallucinations and paranoia.

The film is enthralling, because it's mostly first person and you see the madness build from Nina's perspective. It starts with hints, little flashes, a movement in a painting so quick that you're not sure whether you even saw it or whether you're imagining things as well. Well after the end of the film, Caroline and I are still discussing which bits of it actually happened.

It draws you in, with superb music and lighting leading you headfirst into an encircling madness. It felt like a nightmare, to the level where I wanted to wake up and actually shook myself out of the film because I wanted to remind myself that I wasn't in Nina's head.

The effect was aided by Natalie Portman playing Nina. She was frankly brilliant and deserves every award that can be thrown at her for that performance.

In short, horrifying, chilling, utterly terrifying, wonderful value for money and a true work of art.

Oh, and there's a sex scene or two in there if you're interested in that kind of thing.

PJW