Knowing as I do that 2017’s Fifty Shades Darker did very little to improve on the original Fifty Shades of Grey (2015) movie, I was ready for this third instalment, Fifty Shades Freed, to be, in no way, a step up. And it isn’t at all. I do, however, feel as though the trilogy shifted from ‘bad’ and ‘definitely still bad’ to something that resembles a much less tame romantic Hallmark film. To be clear, Hallmark movies are not great either, even though they’re not always as bad as ‘the worst.’
Starring Jamie Dornan, Dakota Johnson, Rita Ora and directed once again by James Foley; in Fifty Shades Freed, Anastasia and Christian get married, but their troubles with people from Christian’s past are far from over.
Just as was the case with the previous two movies, ridiculous and not well-written or well-acted things happen in Fifty Shades Freed. Yet, I may not have been in a movie theatre, but I still sat and watched it all. Firstly, I felt like I needed to see the whole trilogy through to the end. Second, I really wanted a glimpse at the wedding. Third, I wanted one more look at a depiction of the ever-intriguing lifestyles of the super-rich, and last but certainly not least, Rita Ora’s gorgeous face, acting.
The Fifty Shades movies always had little chance of being good because of the not-so-great source material. Even still, that was never going to be enough to stop many of the millions of fans of the book, fans of Dakota Johnson, fans of Jamie Dornan or fans of Rita Ora (me) from watching the films. It also won’t stop some romantics (like myself) who need a very far from taxing romance film to play semi in the background as they sit still, while doing other equally non-taxing things.
Whatever your reason to watch or not, your decision is probably right. Also, if you start and promptly abort, you cannot and will not be blamed.
Happy Film Loving.
G
