Black Swan (2010)
Drama, Thriller, Horror
The Kernel take
A 79 Metascore on a $13M budget that's grossed nearly $330M worldwide is the kind of math studios dream about—critical legitimacy married to genuine box-office muscle, the rare prestige horror that actually moves tickets.
Director track record: Darren Aronofsky
Black Swan (79) sits well above Darren Aronofsky's own 67.9-point average across 8 scored films, but trails his best-reviewed work, The Wrestler (80), in a filmography that peaks at the intersection of psychological intensity and audience embrace.
Lead track record: Natalie Portman
Black Swan (79) is Natalie Portman's best-reviewed film, surpassing Heat (76) across her 25 scored titles and marking a decisive +23.1-point leap above her 55.9-point average—a rare career-high for an actor with otherwise inconsistent critical results.
Box office
Budget $13M · Box office $329.4M