Black Swan - DVD Review

'Whilst Nina fights on stage to balance the innocent White Swan with the corrupted Black, Aronofsky's camera fights to control the still shots in some sort of balance with the shaky-cam work'

Darren Aronofsky's Oscar-winning drama about a ballet dancer coming to turns with her new role, Black Swan has more than a passing similarity to the director's last work, The Wrestler. Where that film spent time focusing on a character who has to reconcile his past in order to survive his present, this sees the interest rooted firmly in Nina Sayers' (Natalie Portman) current situation and climate. One could speculate that Aronofsky's next film will be a character-driven piece about someone who has to reconcile their future to be at peace with their present, completing a triplet of film's exploring the crossing influence of past, present and future lives.

If that sounds like it might describe a director with deep ambitions then rest assured that we've only just scratched the surface. Aronofsky moves the camera through Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz and John J. McLaughlin's script with his trademark natural feel. There are plenty of handheld shots, allowing you to experience the film from in amongst the dancers, and even street scenes of people walking have a kinetic and vibrant feel to them.

Aronofsky's style, as it was in The Wrestler, is unsettling and occasionally difficult to watch. Where in that film this method of keeping the audience on edge felt out of place, here it feels in-keeping with the themes he explores. Nina's world is shaky - literally thanks to the camerawork - and from very early on the impression that all is not right is conveyed effectively.

There's also an interest, an obsession even, within Black Swan to explore the meta-textual elements of the script. Whilst Nina fights on stage to balance the innocent White Swan with the corrupted Black, Aronofsky's camera fights to control the still shots in some sort of balance with the shaky-cam work. It goes even further. Whilst the troop perform Swan Lake, a ballet about a princess caught between two forces; one evil and one good, Nina must pick the good from the bad out of supporting cast Lily (Mila Kunis), Thomas (Vincent Cassel) and her Mother (Barbara Hershey). Even more than that though, appearing as little more than a cameo, is Winona Ryder, sadly now almost a byword for fallen Hollywood glamour: an ex-star turn lacking the turn to star in. The choice of role reflects the real world fortunes of Ryder so much that she can only be applauded for taking it on.

With her presence incidental though the really impressive turns from Cassel and Portman are allowed to shine. The Frenchman takes a role (that of company director) which could have easily lent itself to stereotype - all European suaveness and flair, flicked scarves and filthy temperaments - and imbues it with a much more human edge. Portman, Oscar-winner, is majestic and dangerous: an ageless, timeless, femme fatale whose only target initially seems to be herself. It's a beautiful piece and one that is performed with aching reverence in time to the music of horror, psychological drama and tragedy, whipped up by Aronofsky into balletic near-brilliance.

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'Unlike so many films which would like for you to watch them again, Black Swan requires it' - A Life In Equinox, 8.75/10