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