The release of the long-awaited sequel to the box office hit Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker is sparking excitement among a large range of viewers. From teenagers to adults, fans disappointed in the original Fifty Shades of Grey movie’s balance of romance and sex appear in hopes that the second installment can redeem the franchise. The movie begins with Christian Grey’s decision to get Anastasia Steele’ back after their previous breakup over their differing sexual desires. The billionaire dedicates his time to winning over Anastasia and stalks his way back into her life, begging for a second chance. Ana is convinced to give Christain another try, but only if they can “renegotiate the terms” of the previous arrangement of Ana being Christian’s “submissive.” Together they work to maintain a proper relationship while attempting to reconcile their sexual differences, working on overcoming Christian’s sadist desires, and trying to conquer his troubled past.
The film’s story lacks a substantial plotline. Christian’s past, like his dark history with previous “submissives”, is brought up in seemingly climatic moments, but overall it serves as a short distraction to fill in the gaps in the plot. There were moments that were charming, romantic, and enjoyable but the movie can only be described as a montage of uncomfortable dialogue, lackluster interactions, and awkward silences broken by routine sex scenes. The film attempts to focus on Christian’s love for Ana by his willingness to sacrifice his sexual wants, but ends up settling on Ana succumbing to Christian’s desires. Fifty Shades Darker struggles to satisfy the viewers looking for romance, BDSM, or a substantial storyline because it only brushes the surface of each.
The movie is entertaining and funny in an awkward sense. It is pleasant to watch and though it does not have you on the edge of your seat, it is easy to follow and is fairly captivating. The acting is a good mix of the brooding and intense Jamie Dornan (Christian Grey) and the blundering and dainty Dakota Johnson (Anastasia Steele). They both fall right into their characters and bring some humor and lightheartedness to the film with their acting. The film’s intense music and sexual tension brings suspense and allure to otherwise indistinct scenes. Taylor Swift and Zayn Malik’s I Don’t Wanna Live Forever along with panning shots of beautiful ocean, transformed a monotonous boat scene into a romantic epic. The Red Room of Pain is a staple setting, bringing back both fond and dark memories for each of the characters. It serves as a reminder of the faults of Ana and Christian’s previous sexual relationship, but also gives Ana a chance to explore ways to satisfy Christian on her terms.
This sequel succeeds in being better than the first film, but does not balance sex and romance better. The sex scenes are peppered throughout the movie like songs in a musical, as a necessary quota for the movie to qualify as an erotic film. The inadequate amount of conflict makes Fifty Shades Darker quite aimless. The movie ends on a note that could seem suspenseful, but continued a storyline that was not well developed to begin with. So when going to see Fifty Shades Darker be prepared to giggle uncomfortably and see a lot of intimacy.
