DarrenAronofsky'sBlackSwanisanexaminationofobsession.Obsessioninstrivingforbeauty,acceptance,andmostofallperfection.Itexploresthedichotomyinvolvedinbothlovingandhatingyourself.

　　Thoughthethemesinthismoviemaybeformulaicandfamiliar,thearenainwhichittakesplace,aswellasthecircumstancesofeachofthesecharactersiswhatmakesthefilmuniqueenoughtostandonitsownfeet.Leroy,thedanceinstructor,announcestohiscompanyinthebeginningthathewantstoopenwith"SwanLake",whichasheacknowledgeshasbeendonetodeath-butnotlikethis.

　　Theportrayalofthedancingworldwithallofitsgossipandbackbitingwasveryrealisticaswasthecompetitiveedgeanddeepfearoffailurethatwasalwayspresent.Theoverbearingmotherwhowasamastermanipulatorandcontrolfreakaddedanotherlevelofdreadandcreepinesstotheatmosphere.Iimmediatelyfeltuneasyeverytimeshewasinthescene.

　　AsNina(NataliePortman)beginstoloseherminditbecomesmoredifficultfortheviewertotellwhatisrealandwhatisn't.Thisisthepointatwhichthefilmstartsblurringthelinesbetweenpsychologicalthrillerandhorror.Aronofskyknowshowtoputfocusonthecringeworthymomentsandmakethemevenmoredisturbingthannormal.Themoviecanmakeonefeeluncomfortableattimes,grossedout,andtense.Thewholeaudiencemovedandgaspedasoneorflinchedandturnedtheirheadawayfromthescreenmultipletimesthroughoutthemovie,showingjusthowpowerfultheBlackSwancanbe.

　　LilywasplayedperfectlybyMilaKunis.Thoughshe'snostrangertothetemptressroleherseductiveeyesandslysmilestealtheshowwhenshe'soncamera.YoucanseeexactlywhyNinawouldbeintimidatedbyher.Whilesomeofthesymbolsandmetaphorswereabitheavy-handedandobviouslikethegiantblackswantattooonLilyortheconstantuseofmirrorsthatremindedmeofDonaldfromAdaptation,overallthedevicesusedwerewelltimedandeffective.