BLACK SWAN
Ah ballet school. How I miss thee. Ok not really, but it is a manly thing… honest. Van Damme did ballet. Ok I realise I’m not doing myself any favours here bringing JC into it, but ballet does make for a totally awesome backdrop to a horror movie. Just ask Suspiria.
Nina (Natalie Portman) is your usual quiet, shy dancer who, through a turn of events and a load of hard work, ends up with the sought after role of the lead in Swan Lake. Her sleazy teacher (Vincent Cassel) realises that, although she is the embodiment of the white swan, It may take a descent into madness for her to find the Black Swan within. Cue descent.
Darren Aronofsky is a director that has always sat in a strange place with me, although I dig his films, I never quiet feel the need to revisit them. I probably should. Films like the Fountain and Requiem For A Dream, almost NEED a re-watch to get a new perspective on the film itself. Black Swan is no different.
The relationship between Nina and here mother does cry out Carrie, but without ever being brave enough to go all the way. Speaking of going all the way, when Nina and fellow student Lily (Mila ‘Shud Up Meg’ Kunis) start getting it on the film takes a twist for the worse as we start to realise that all the strangeness happening around Nina may be in her head. Or is it?
Yes. Then no. Then yes. The film jumps along in this fashion until by the end we are amazed at the visual feast put before us, but understanding it? Not so much.
I have to draw comparisons to Argento’s Suspira at least for setting and feel and for a long time during the movie I wished that this had been a Suspiria remake rather than a film that had no clear antagonist. That being said the build up to the transformation sequence at the end of the films 2nd act and the transformation itself are strange, but stunning, combined with the beautifully shot dance sequences that push the tale forward make this film worth a watch or two.
OVERALL
Black Swan is being marketed at the mainstream, but its art, true and simple and many casual cinemagoers won’t get it. Many hardcore cinemagoers won’t get it. Maybe we’re not suppose to get it. But film is entertainment at the end of the day and as entertained as I was, I also found myself lost at times. Aronofsky will be taking on Marvel Comics Wolverine next, with the working title being THE WOLVERINE. How about we go all the way (lol) and call it REQUIEM FOR A WOLVERINE?
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