Review Detail

Spectacular, harrowing, sublime. In one corner we have the The Wrestler, the friendly fighter, the yang, the profane. In the facing corner we have the Black Swan, the neurotic artiste, the yin, the sacred. The two stories grapple and merge, the whole greater than the sum of the parts.

You'll be surprised how many parallels and echoes the two movies have. Darren Aronofsky would be surprised. Q2 has found them all, shuffled them together, the one story refracting and amplifying the other, back and forth, around and around. The two leading characters are worlds apart but they have a believable psychological link. This isn't how a "real" movie would put them together, and you never forget it's a fan mix you're watching, still the creative power is undeniable.

Technical qualities are perfect. Menu and extras are minimal. Concur with Neglify the 140 minute run time feels a little long, on the other hand I've got no suggestion what to cut. Each character goes through a full arc of rise and fall, reaching out and pulling back. Q2 gives the stories room to breathe while cutting big parts from each movie. The wrestler is more of a loner, the swan's world is more dangerous, in both stories the tension is cranked up. Memories Alone is a knock down drag out, come prepared.