by Alexandra Still
Director Darren Aronofsky’s film “Black Swan” is one that is sure to shock audiences. Its bizarre take on the classic story of “Swan Lake”entertains, however far from reality it swings.
This melodramatic tale, spun loosely around the plot of the classic ballet, is held together only by the performances of its lead actors. Natalie Portman is Nina Sayers, the stereotypical prima-ballerina in training who has just been awarded the coveted role of Swan Queen. Mila Kunis is Lily, the new arrival to the company who leads Nina far beyond the step-out-of-your-comfort-zone required by the role of Swan Queen (…or does she?). Vincent Cassel is Thomas Leroy, the company director whose coaching takes a turn for the creepy almost immediately, and Barbara Hershey is Nina’s mother, a hybrid of Faye Dunaway’s “Mommie Dearest” and Kathy Bates’ stalker in “Misery,” with a whole lot of overbearing stage-mom thrown in as well.
From the get-go this film spreads in all directions, simultaneously attempting to conquer the genres of horror, psycho-thriller, and personal drama. The final product, however, achieves none of those, and ends up confusing the audience more than anything. Some twists and turns in the action no doubt lead to an entertaining experience, but that entertainment is achieved through by rather blatant attempts at shock value instead of cinematic excellence. We’re treated to everything from squabbles between dancers that end in murderous intentions, to sex between all possible combinations of partners that fall completely short of meaning and only add to the outlandish nature of the plot.
The most shocking scenes are thrown into question by the fragile mental state of our window into the movie’s world, Nina. Though initially the audience can trust her point of view, it becomes more and more obvious that less and less in the film is actually trustworthy. The twists of plot, instead of adding depth and intrigue to the story, only prevent the audience from arriving at the end in one piece. If you are interested in the true and timeless story of “Swan Lake,” please refer to the real ballet; but if your intentions lie closer to the realm of shock and awe, the lack of a few usually required components, such as logic and linear storytelling, certainly make “Black Swan” a sight to see.
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