Fifty Shades Darker (2017)

Director: James Foley

How would you describe your perfect romantic film? Is it a heart-breaking love story like "A Walk to Remember", classic coming-of-age films with attempts of finding your true self through love ("The Perks of Being a Wallflower"), or a series of passionate outbursts that never lead to anything permanent as shown in "Head in the Clouds"? The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy has probably shifted your expectations, and now plain, cliche type of relationship is not enough. There's gotta be something spicy as well.

Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)

Director: Sam Taylor- Johnson

It has finally happened - one of the most anticipated and discussed films of 2015 is released. No more teasing with short trailers, no more questions about how this or that toy, scene might look like in the real life. Yes, the unconventional love story between the innocent college student Anastasia and the domineering millionaire Christian is being show on the big screen, and the fact that its premiere was a day before the Valentine's day has already been the source of numerous negative reviews.

It's interesting that according to IMDB statistics, women on average have given higher score than men, though it seemed that the stronger sex should be much more satisfied with quite an amount of erotic scenes. However, the results showed the opposite, and men were the main critics. The main reason for evaluating the newly-released film extremely low was due to the fact that many viewers consider that women degradation is the main idea promoted in "Fifty Shades of Grey", and it also encourages sadomasochistic relationships. I would totally disagree with these claims. Yes, the film does show gender inequality, unhealthy relationships with Christian's predominance and willingness to control everything and everyone, and it does not focus on romance which is the crucial point of any Valentine's day's film. But let's face it, that's all because of the book and E L James's imagination, not because the director or the screen-writer would be out of their minds. If they had made Grey more romantic and less commanding, it wouldn't have been "Fifty Shades of Grey", it would've been a whole different story. Honestly speaking, the film is a much softer version of the novel; the bedroom scenes are dealt with rather delicately and they are not as many as in the book. The cinematographic adaption is likewise much lighter and funnier than the original, and the soundtrack, from my point of you, is superb; the selected songs create the right atmosphere, and I still can't stop listening to some of them. That's about the good things, but now let's turn to the flaws.

Fifty Shades of Grey (2011)

 

Author: Erika Leonard James

Two years. Two years I had stood firm against the world sensation called "Fifty Shades of Grey", I had not read the Twilight sage, nor been the participant of Hunger Games or Games of Thrones. I've always been quite skeptical of works which are their author's first attempt in writing and have received incredible popularity among readers within a short period of time. This time it was different. I saw the trailer of the upcoming film, and I simply had to read the book.

 The story as such is quite predictable though rather unrealistic. How often do you see situations in real life where handsome, sexy millionaire goes crazy for innocent, middle-class girl with no sex appeal and previous experience whatsoever? It's like the modern version of the classic love stories, a mix of Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella, just with more sex, pain and less love and modesty. Without doubt, James has created an interesting story that makes you want to read the next chapter and the one after that as fast as possible, but that's it. From the point of view of emotions and thoughts triggered by the story, most of the things are spread out before you and there's not much to think and left for imagination. Though the author tries to evoke sympathy in the reader by the mysterious and seemingly painful past/ childhood of Grey, it lacks deeper emotions. In places where additional details and a more thorough explanation would be necessary, James crosses them very fast, but then again the bedroom scenes are sometimes more explicit than preferable. Some traits of the other main character, Anastasia Steele, are quite annoying too, for instance, the constant complaining (girl, you chose your fate yourself, nobody forced you, so stop groaning). Her ability to master the art of sex so fast given she had no previous experience is quite unbelievable as well.