Shades enters Twilight zone
Fifty Shades Darker (R18, 118 mins) Directed by James Foley
No rules, no punishments, no more secrets.
These are the only terms that Anastasia (Dakota Johnson) is willing to take her former billionaire beau Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) back under.
With a new job as an assistant at a publishing house, she’s feeling a lot better about herself since their rather messy break up. He promises that he’s changed his ways – that he’ll open up to her (and that he has new ‘‘toys’’ to help her do the same for him).
However, it isn’t long before both jealousy and possessiveness rear their ugly heads and his desire for ownership, rather than a relationship, seems to kick back in.
Then, there are the ghosts of Christian’s past, waiting and willing for the coupling to fail.
Let’s be honest, nobody was expecting this to be The Godfather Part II, but at least it’s not Basic Instinct 2. Thankfully we’re spared too much cod psychology or gratuitous sax (although the plot stops at various points to shift soundtrack downloads) and I’d take Rita Ora over Stan Collymore as a supporting actor any day.
But if the first Shades felt like a slicker, glossier, but far less fun version of 2002’s Secretary, then this feels closer to The Blacklist, with Johnson’s Anastasia led in and out trouble by the dominant Red, sorry Grey. One also can’t help but be reminded of E L James’ tale’s origins as Twilight fan fiction, especially as the dark, brooding forces gather to oppose our pair’s continued union. If this all ends with beheadings, difficult labours and a child called Renesmee – I for one won’t be impressed.
For those desperate to know – yes, there is plenty of Apple product placement – and sex scenes. Most of them seem to involve potential for other product placements and a view of only one Johnson. The target audience and positioning might be different to the erotic thrillers of the 90s, but the ‘‘male gaze’’ persists.
However, despite the depressingly episodic nature, predictable plotting and clunky dialogue, there are some bright spots to behold.
While Dornan (who here more resembles Ryan Phillipe in Cruel Intentions than an adult businessman) wrestles to overcome a character whose a cross between Patrick Bateman, Gordon Gecko and Dexter Morgan, Johnson brings plenty of chutzpah, backbone (and pertness) to what could have been a onedimensional role.
It is she who sells any kind of reality in this Bold and the Beautiful, with added S-and-m, fantasy. – James Croot