Fifty Shades of Grey - The Movie
What is it about:
When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too—but on his own terms.
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.
Voodoo Bride's thoughts and rant:
Spoilery!
Knowing the Twilight fanfic background of the Fifty Shades books I never picked them up. Bella and Edward from Twilight aren't my favorite characters, no matter the setting.
I also wasn't so sure about the BDSM part of the Fifty Shades books. I do love BDSM, but Fifty Shades sounded like there were lots of better books for me to read.
Still: when I was asked by friends if I wanted to go see the movie with them, I said yes. I love going to the movies, and with the right company even a bad movie can be part of a fun night out.
I will say that I found myself enjoying Fifty Shades of Grey for the most part. Even with some things that made me smirk (Ana being a virgin because she never met the right guy before Christian, and her inherited Bella-clumsiness for example) the movie was entertaining enough.
It did make me stop and wonder about what it is about a millionaire that so many women find attractive. I will confess I've dreamed about being rich as well, but in my case I never dreamed about a millionaire showering me with expensive presents, or taking me on outrageous trips. I've always wanted to be rich myself. to be the one with the money, and to be in control. Why is it that so many other women DO dream of a rich man to spoil them? And is it this aspect of Fifty Shades of Grey that makes this such a popular story?
Moving on.
The BDSM part of the movie was quite vanilla in my opinion, but it is a blockbuster, so anything more would probably have been too much for a lot of people (it already was too much for some, going by the not so quietly whispered comments of other viewers).
And then: The ending!
After a whole movie of Ana and Christian dancing around each other, and exploring the edges of BDSM, Christian and the viewers who enjoyed the BDSM part of the 'romance' got a harsh slap on the wrist:
Dominants are twisted, bad people! How dare Christian want to punish and hurt Ana! How dare viewers enjoy this! Poor, poor Ana.
...
I can't even begin to describe how pissed off I was by that ending!
Really?
That's the moralizing message you send the viewers of this movie home with?
What could have been an enjoyable movie was ruined for me with that ending.
A friend who read the books told me that this message will get taken away and gets more nuance in the next two books, but even so: This is not how you end a first movie or book in my opinion.
I can tell you that I immediately picked up a decent BDSM story when I got home to get rid of the bad taste the ending of Fifty Shades of Grey left me with.
Why should you see it:
It's beautifully filmed, and is mostly entertaining.
7 comments:
That's exactly how the book ended, too - and is the most annoying aspect of the whole thing. Along with that, even in the book, the BDSM is *seriously* glossed. Alas! Still - I love the soundtrack and I thought it was visually stunning with nice emotional intensity.
@Jeffe: the soundtrack was indeed great. But then again: Danny Elfman! That man is a God when it comes to music.
And it was indeed visually very stunning.
I also loved the actress who played the roommate. I will have to investigate.
I say no ;)
I was interested in the roommate, too. She hasn't been in much big stuff yet.
The end didn't bother me but maybe because I had read the book. But I know that at the end of the book I decided not to read the other books but I want to see the other movies.
Okay, I had not heard about the ending yet. And like you, I never read (nor do I want to) the books. I am sorry the movie was ruined for you by the ending.
Erm... not really my thing. I'm not big on the creation of these women (referring to Bella and here). But that's me. But I have to say I am the slightest curious as to how the movie turned out, not that I'll go see it but curious. Thanks for sharing!
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