Review of Fifty Shades Darker (2017) by Lee J — 07 Jun 2017

Fifty Shades Darker is the second film in its exotic romantic drama series that is worse than the last movie. Even with the change in writer/director with Niall Leonard and James Foley handling the second installment. The film has a terrible script; direction, and Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan stale performances tend to continue. The plot was eh, if there was one. I will say the soundtrack with the varieties of artists is probably the only positive thing about the movie.

The plot continues with Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) trying to get Anastasia (Dakota Johnson) to go back with him. (After things did not end well in the previous movie). Ana now working at a new job with a boss Jack (Eric Johnson) that is trying to flirt with her. Ana decides to give Grey another chance. Soon, Grey's past comes back to haunt after him with Leila (Bella Heathcote) stalking Ana and Christian.

If you are into the cliché romantic drama movies, than sure this may be for you. Or if you are looking for some steamy erotic sex scenes with Grey's BDSM lifestyle, then this may also be for you. It is difficult to find this film to be any good with its poor plot. Ana is trying to become an independent woman. Trying to have that backbone. When Grey is trying to get her to go back with him, she tells him they need to take it slow. A follow up scene, than shows her caving in for his needs. Which makes this whole movie with Ana trying to have control but a scene later, she and Grey are in bed together. There was no real conflict with this complicated relationship they are having. It tries to have this build up of Grey willing to try to work on himself and his habits for her. But there was no progression on him working it out. Grey is a man that is psychologically damaged after a past with an incident with his mother. The BDSM is his way of escaping his pain, which Elena (Kim Basinger) has showed him in his earlier years. But the plot has no real conflict when it focuses with Ana and Grey going back and forth with trying to take it slow and than rushing into some kinky sex.

The script was horrible with some laughable cheesy dialogue. Like "Kinky F***ery." Some made up one-liners that is so bad but laughable. The direction was dull, those steamy sex scenes were made to get a rise out of a certain audience but it was nothing really special about it.

The acting was bad with Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan. Literally feels like they are bored with their characters. Johnson is a beautiful decent actress but her performance that is so monotone and yet very passive in the movie is irritating and unattractive.

The positive aspect of the film, which did not help the movie. It did have a great soundtrack that worked on certain scenes like the "I don't wanna live forever" by Zayn and Taylor Swift. And "Not afraid anymore" by Halsey.

Overall, Fifty Shades Darker is a bad exotic film that is meant to be locked up in a dark room and forgotten. But for the fans of the novels, they may get a kink out of the movie and possibly excited for a third hopefully final movie. I do not recommend the film if your not a fan of the novels.