By Audrey McKenzie
Entertainment Editor
“Black Swan,” directed by Darren Aronofsky, succeeds as a creative and captivating psychological thriller because of its unique story and talented cast; however, the film’s predictable plot development prevents it from being extraordinary.
Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) is a devoted member of a prominent New York City Ballet Company. She covets the prestigious role of the Swan Queen in the company’s production of “Swan Lake.” When the reigning Queen, Beth Macintyre (Winona Ryder), abruptly retires, Nina is given the chance to prove that she is ready to take her place.
Nina is “perfect” for the role of the sweet, innocent White Swan, as it is nearly identical to her natural personality. However, she struggles to transform into the dark and seductive Black Swan. Lily (Mila Kunis), a dancer new to the company, effortlessly embodies the role which Nina is desperately trying to keep.
As the pressure on Nina grows, she begins to believe that Lily is trying to sabotage her in hopes of stealing her role as the Swan Queen. As she battles her rival and herself to master a role she has worked for her entire life, she begins to lose everything, including her sanity.
The symbolism embedded into the characters of the film is one of its most unique qualities. The plot parallels that of “Swan Lake,” and the characters in the film eerily represent the roles of the swans in the production. The naïve, soft-spoken Nina is a clear embodiment of the White Swan, the pure character in “Swan Lake.”
Lily, the film’s dark and brooding antagonist, is a striking representation of the evil Black Swan. Its attempt to steal the White Swan’s love interest in the show serves as a parallel to Lily’s apparent efforts to steal the role of the Swan Queen from Nina.
The most disturbing parallel of all is that of Beth, the previous Swan Queen, and the dying swan. After being removed from her position as Swan Queen, she represents the White Swan, which commits suicide at the end of the show after the Black Swan has stolen her love.
This aspect of the plot symbolizes Nina’s change in disposition as she transforms into the Black Swan, both in her role in “Swan Lake” and in her actual persona.
This presence of intriguing symbolism provides for much needed character development which attempts to make up for the unfortunate lack of plot development.
One of the most valuable attributes of the movie is the presence of true psychological thrill. Many of the scenes in which Portman is vividly imagining supernatural events and beings taking over her body are so gripping that viewers cannot take their eyes off the screen.
The film also manages to find artistic success through the exquisite costumes created by designer Rodarte. The stunning costuming adds ironic beauty to an otherwise dark and unfortunate story.
The storyline of “Black Swan” is original in some ways but excruciatingly predictable in others. From the first scene to the dissatisfying ending, the lack of surprise or twist in the plot is disappointing. There is almost no plot development throughout the film, and elements of disturbing psychological chaos barely save the film from eliciting incredible boredom from viewers.
The film fails to leave an identifiable impact on audiences, simply leaving viewers a bit more disturbed than anticipated. The characters in the film and the plotline as a whole are unrelatable to most audiences.
Portman’s performance, by far the most commendable element of the movie, adds much needed depth and intruige to “Black Swan.” Her psychological turmoil is believable and captivating, which is surprising for an actress with such little experience in this genre.
As her character spirals out of control, completely losing hold of her sanity, Portman’s performance becomes increasingly intense. She manages to keep the empathy of the audience, despite her cruel and frightening behavior.
Portman’s raw and oddly touching performance gives her character a surprisingly likable quality. She manages to rip her previous reputation as a goodie-two-shoes to shreds, developing herself as a mature and multitalented actress.
Ultimately, the underwhelming development and lack of relevance for most audiences make an original story that had the potential to be phenomenal merely mediocre. Its creative storyline and psychological mind games can only take the film so far.
“Black Swan” is rated R and playing in select theaters nationwide.
Leave a Reply