Fifty Shades Darker Review

Fifty Shades Darker is the second film of the Fifty Shades book series to be adapted to film. The Fifty Shades series is written by E.L. James and the film is loosely based on the book of the same name.

Fifty Shades Darker is directed by James Foley starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan resuming their roles as Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey respectively. The movie picks up just three days from where the first had ended. Following the nasty breakup between the two after the last film Christian can’t get Ana out of his head and he’s willing to do anything to get her back.

This makes him work towards repairing things though Ana wants a new “contract” written up before she even thinks about taking him back. As they start to build trust together and find stability in their relationship, ghosts from Christian’s past start to surround the couple determined to ruin everything they built together. I felt like they were trying too hard with over the top sex scenes throughout the film.

I haven’t read any books in the series so I can’t say how close the film is to the original material. I must say that Fifty Shades Darker is a much stronger and more well put together movie than the first installment in the series.

Dornan and Johnson’s acting seemed much better than the first with better chemistry between the two. Their chemistry came off as more passionate and loving instead of feeling forceful. Dornan did an excellent job showing both physically and emotionally how Ana has effected and changed Christian over the course of the films.

The Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack is excellent, fit right into the themes of the story and kept the audience engaged. The story for film is overall very mediocre, it’s just a typical romantic drama. Couple breaks up; gets back together, must fight off jealous exes on one side or the other. But never the less still an enjoyable experience.

The Conclusion

In conclusion, Fifty Shades Darker is an alright movie. The film fits into the usual drama genre, but with some thrown in softcore porn to make it unique and an erotica drama instead of a typical one.

This is coupled with alright acting throughout with a strong chemistry between the main stars carrying most of erotic journey. The soundtrack was definitely the best feature of the film matching the themes well while providing a strong background to base action around. I would say it’s a safe bet for couples to take their partners to considering the launch focused around Valentine’s Day.

Fifty Shades Darker Review at Theater with Standard Viewing
Screening Provided by NBC Universal

Rating Overall: 4.7