All these months, I’ve avoided reviews and synopses just to keep the plot under wraps, so that I don’t spoil the movie for myself. Even though I’ve tried, it came to my knowledge of the fact that it is a psychological thriller; and in the process of bracing myself for the worst, I have, on more than one occasion, jumped due to psyching myself out. Or perhaps just due to the fact that I’m watching it in a cold, dark room.
I find it to be a brilliant movie. Brilliantly shot. Brilliantly told. A chilling story of a dancer’s downward spiral in her obsession to be the perfect ballerina. A movie that plays with your mind and what you believe is true. The whole film toys with the idea of innocence and manipulation, of being overwrought and opposingly blithe, of constant harassment leading to the inevitable collapse. Fuelled by the insecurities within her, the protagonist succumbs to the highly-pressurized environment of competitive ballet.
An overbearing mother, a highly praised newcomer and years of pent-up emotions simply tipped her over the edge. Struggling to let herself go completely – with her dark side she simultaneously adore and fear – the internal battle to fully embrace both pushed her down a destructive path. Yet, at the same time, you feel for her. To finally be able to live.
It is a movie said to have divided audiences. Certain viewers object it outright with absolute revulsion, repulsed by its disturbing plot. Others find it superbly done, depicting a glorious psychological ride that builds to a grand, albeit tragic, finale. I was among the latter. One of my friends was mainly distracted by its sexual content and from then onwards found it uncomfortable and didn’t enjoy the movie at all. I was at ease with the scenes – though sexual but not exactly explicit – and find them cementing the fact that Nina was not of a sane mind. Or was she?
Cleverly complemented by minimalistic décor and wardrobe – concurrently extravagant and simplistic – it allowed the actors’ work to shine through. Manned by my girl crushes, Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, it simply could do no wrong. Rapturous and melodramatic, Black Swan is a gripping and visceral experience from beginning to end and strikes an immediate haunting note that grows louder with a dark echo.
