Darren Aronofsky can be best described as a Marmite director. With the exception of The Wrestler, the rest of his back catalogue has garnered both praise and hatred in equal measure and Black Swan continues this trend. Whilst retaining the filmic trends of the Mickey Rourke comeback, it also panders to the bravura of Aronofsy's earlier works. This mix of straight drama and flat out surrealism makes for a genuinely intense and often unsettling experience that shows the director has coming full circle since the independent sensibilities of the likes of Pi and Requiem for a Dream.
I can see why it has been lambasted by some. The nature of Natalie Portman's madness, whilst being played completely straight (and in terrific fashion I must add) leads to moments that are best described as flat out snooker loopy, yet what I love about Aronofsky's work is his flat out refusal to take the conventional route, hence scenes paintings talking and Portman sprouting wings.
I loved it.
4.5/5
No comments:
Post a Comment