Из Венеции:
Variety
Aronofsky seems to be operating more in the vein of early Roman Polanski or David Cronenberg at his most operatic.” … “A wicked, sexy and ultimately devastating study of a young dancer’s all-consuming ambition,” … “Aronofsky and costume designer Amy Westcott are none too subtle with the film’s symbolism, dressing Nina in innocent white outfits while those around her wear darker and considerably more ominous colors. These exaggerated stylistic choices (somewhat at odds with Aronofsky’s documentary-like sense of detail and Matthew Libatique’s handheld shooting style) extend to the production design as well, adding yet another motif: Reflective surfaces, mostly mirrors, offer fleeting glimpses of Nina’s other half.” … “Coupled with Clint Mansell’s score, which expands upon Tchaikovsky’s original “Swan Lake” compositions to suggest something considerably more macabre (further aided by proper horror-movie sound design), the result is an unsettling yet ultimately intuitive blend of classical and contempo techniques.
Вестник Голливуда
Trying to coax a horror-thriller out of the world of ballet doesn’t begin to work for Darren Aronofsky.” … “The movie is so damn out-there in every way that you can’t help admiring Aronofsky for daring to be so very, very absurd.” … n instant guilty pleasure, a gorgeously shot, visually complex film whose badness is what’s so good about it. You might howl at the sheer audacity of mixing mental illness with the body-fatiguing, mind-numbing rigors of ballet, but its lurid imagery and a hellcat competition between two rival dancers is pretty irresistible. Certain to divide audiences, “Swan” won’t lack for controversy.” … “Portman, who has danced but is no ballerina, does a more than credible job in the big dance numbers and the tough rehearsals that are so essential to the film. In her acting, too, you sense she has bravely ventured out of her comfort zone to play a character slowly losing sight of herself. It’s a bravura performance.” … “Kunis makes a perfect alternate to Portman, equally as lithe and dark but a smirk of self-assurance in place of Portman’s wide-eyed fearfulness. Indeed, White Swan/Black Swan dynamics almost work, but the horror-movie nonsense drags everything down the rabbit hole of preposterousness.
Screen International
Darren Aronofsky soars to new heights with Black Swan, an enthralling drama set in the competitive world of ballet. Alternately disturbing and exhilarating, this dark study of a mentally fragile performer derailed by her obsession with perfection is one of the most exciting films to come out of the Hollywood system this year.” … “a bold display of cinematic fireworks that will leave audiences breathless.” … “If you can imagine The Turning Point run through with the psychological disturbia of Repulsion or Rosemary’s Baby, you get the gist of Black Swan.” … “Portman is captivating” … “she captures the confusion of a repressed young woman thrown into a world of danger and temptation with frightening veracity.” … “Aronofsky and his faithful DP Matthew Libatique work wonders with the dance sequences, bringing them to life through ingenious and diverse camera movements, while keeping Nina’s off-stage life grainy, hand-held and claustrophobic.
InContention
BLACK SWAN (A-) How to even tweet this? Aronofsky extends The Wrestler’s fascination with physically broken performers to the psychological. Results are at once florid and fine-cut; dances thrillingly on the border of trash before a sharp left into modern fairytale. Having said that, I can imagine a lot of people disagreeing.
The Examiner
VENICE 2010: Aronoksky’s Black Swan is en pointe as an unforgettable portrait on the madness of perfection. Natalie Portman is devastating.
Кроме того, в интервью MTV Аронофски рассказал, что "Чёрный лебедь" и "Рестлер" изначально были одним фильмом, историей любви рестлера и балерины. Но затем Даррен понял, что не сможет в полной мере поместить два мира в один фильм, и в итоге мы имеем два фильма, причем во многом диаметрально противоположных.
Forget it Jake, it's Chinatown.
