Fifty Shades Darker ** (2017, Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Eric Johnson, Kim Basinger, Bella Heathcote) – Movie Review

Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan resume their roles as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey in director James Foley’s compulsively silly 2017 fairy tale romance sequel to Fifty Shades of Grey. Complete with daft dialogue, Niall Leonard writes the tricky to perform screenplay, based on the novel by E L James.

Sill obsessed, Christian contrives to meet Anna again, having bought all the photographs of her at an exhibition opening she attends. With virtually no persuading at all, she agrees to meet up with old Chris at a restaurant, and then in the bedroom, where they resume their previous activities.

To please the lady, though probably not the audience, Christian wants to give up his S&M proclivities. Though she’s the submissive, he tells her she’s the dominant partner. He’ll go at her pace, and only do what she agrees to, if anything at all.

Fifty Shades Darker is S&M shades lighter, turning into a glossy, Eighties-style romantic melodrama, complete with exotic settings and plush backgrounds. Improbably, Christian is immensely rich, but Anna doesn’t care. She just wants to get on with her humble job as a dog’s body in a publishing house – at least till her sex pest boss Jack Hyde (Eric Johnson) comes violently on to her.

Oh, and she does enjoy the pleasures of using the benefits of Christian’s money, posh rooms, yachts, hotels, even though she won’t take any of his money. She’s in it for a good time, she’s not a hooker after his cash! Then, it turns out she’s in it for love, after all. He tells her he loves her so much, he’ll give up his wicked, wicked ways for her, if only he can successfully vanquish his inner demons. She falls for it, because for her it’s true love too. How truly soppy!

Christian reminds her he is not a sadist, or a dominator, but he enjoys inflicting pain. Though he could with a shave, he’s a handsome, caddish charmer. It’s all down to his mother in his childhood. It’s always mother’s fault! Not sure what Anastasia’s problem is. She seems just to enjoy a little light spanking and a little light bondage.

If the second story turns into a plush romance, with glossy images and soupy music, director Foley would like to turn it into a thriller, as Anna has to confront the anger and envy of other women Chris has been involved with. They include Elena Lincoln (Kim Basinger) and Leila (Bella Heathcote), both actresses having a hard time in difficult, unsympathetic roles.

You get the strong impression that E L James doesn’t like women very much. The film seems to like men a bit more, one man anyway, and Dornan is given time to show his gymnastic skills – quite a wow this sequence. If there is CGI, it doesn’t show. Nine point nine, Jamie Dornan.

Foley points his cameras at the star duo’s faces and upper torsos, exploring them relentlessly, especially their nipples. Two or three times he gets started on a bit of teasing sex stuff, just beginning to get a bit hot and raunchy, but then cuts away to something completely different, safe and glossy. Foley really is a tease.

Johnson and Dornan are very good actors, game for anything, and they keep the show alive and kicking. It is a tawdry sort of film, and it’s a shock to see it showing at London’s prestigious Odeon Leicester Square. It should be on at those old West End sex cinemas, but they are all closed down now.

In one way the film is quite awful, but in another it is mesmerisingly watchable for two hours. You sit wondering just what they are going to get up to next. But, if you wait to watch the credits, you’ll see. Part Three, Fifty Shades Freed, is out on Valentine’s Day 2018, and, apparently, the happy couple are getting married. So it’s just an escapist vanilla romance after all, flirting with S&M. Shame.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Movie Review

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com