Fifty Shades Darker (Review)

After reading the books the summer they went big and watching the first film in the trilogy on opening day, I was eagerly anticipating the arrival of Fifty Shade Darker! 

Click here to watch the trailer or see below.

I love all the outfits. I think the costume design department did an incredible. They had so many different people to dress and so many different looks. Because the movie was so fast paced, there were so many events but it was lovely to see all the different ball gowns especially. 

Once again, they blew me away with the music. I remember sitting in the theatre afterwards just thinking how perfectly they nailed every single scene with the music and atmosphere created. Each song fit just right, like they were written for it. There were so many good songs and now each time I hear them, I'll be reminded of the scene. 

I might not have been blown away but I can't wait for the final installment of the trilogy! 

Incredibly, Jamie Dornan’s Christian Grey manages to keep his trousers on for almost all of the film’s tedious, softcore sex scenes, though there’s a fun gag involving a pair of silver balls. 

I was overwhelmingly impressed with the opening sequence of events. I was expecting it to start where the last film finished but amazingly, they took the plunge with the emotional and dramatic flashbacks to Christian’s traumatic childhood that frame the film. While they don't bare as deep as the scars on his body and I would have liked deeper explanations for his needs, I do think that they were delicately and carefully inserted into meaningful areas of the film. 

I don't think the film pulled off any big scenes. Unfortunately, I felt a massive lack of focus with the plot, characters and links but I think it was because there were so many big scenes and story lines to tell that they just jumped from action to action to action without ever really building the information up. It felt very episodic. There was the little climaxes building here and there but it's defintely a film for the fans from the fans. Which is fine. The fans have read the books, they know the deeper understandings so it works. 

Having said that, those that were explored were done so beautifully. Despite the simple nature of the scenes, there the ones that made the most impact. I love how serene the boat scene was. I loved seeing them relax and be like a proper couple, despite all the drama going on around them. 

I do think it was a little misguided though. One minute, Ana soothingly tells Christian he doesn’t have to tell her anything about his tortured past after he does and then moments later, she’s complaining he never opens up. 

I think for those worried about the brutal sex scenes, there is no need to be. There is actually very little sexual action, more just tension building and building. The scene we see the most of Christian is when he is working out in the gym - a new room addition to the house. There is defintely something about seeing a topless man work out on a pommel horse. 

With so many deep storylines it's hard to know where to start. Christian's past and troubled ex-lover continues to make an appearance. Ana's new sleazy boss makes remark after remark and out of nowhere, Ana fights back, much to Christian's dismay. 

And of course, the focus of all the trailer's, Christian's ex-lover. I was actually quite disappointed in the writing of these scenes though because I thought they were much more than surface deep in the book and I would have liked to see more of a character exploration. Oh and the plane scene, which I actually loved! I thought it was executed really well albeit there wasn't much emotion. 

Cringey moments added to the humour which in a way I liked. I loved how they continued the 'Laters Baby' trend, which I actually think is dreadfully cute! My biggest pet peeve throughout was the state of Ana's lips. I don't know who was doing the makeup but no matter what, there was no lip liner and in the countless close ups, it was clear to see the big issue all over. 

Also, that shower scene. That shower scene we all expected so much from. That shower scene that went nowhere. The shower scene that ended with magically dry clothes and a transfer to the Red Room of Pain. Confused. 

But after all that. All the action packed drama it was the ending that took me over the edge. The cliffhanger left me hanging on for dear like and I'm left waiting, desperate for the sequel and reeling and the announcement.