Movie Review: 'Fifty Shades Freed'

Female sexuality remains a barrier for many men. Think about it, we still have laws in many places in this country that REQUIRES half the population to wear a shirt when they go outside, because apparently boobs have some mysterious and dangerous power to them. This is reflected in modern movie culture which, despite having gone through periods marked by movies like Last Tango in Paris and 9 and ½ Weeks, has somehow become more uptight.

This, I believe, explains part of the fascination and cultish devotion surrounding E.L James’ 'Fifty Shades' franchise. Despite what are some obvious flaws in the storytelling, the freedom of Anastasia Grey’s sexuality, in the movies at least, if not the books which I have refused to read, marks a departure from most of modern popular culture. Dakota Johnson’s assured and enjoyed nudity may happen in the form of an insipid pop melodrama but taken on its own context, it’s among the most mature displays of sexuality in modern popular culture.

This brings us to the latest film in the 'Fifty Shades' franchise, Fifty Shades Freed. I will not argue that Fifty Shades Freed is a good movie; it’s most certainly not, from the perspective of just being a movie. However, as a ripe and rare display of female sexuality, again, apart from the book which I have heard is less kind to the Anastasia character than the movies, all credit to Dakota Johnson.

Fifty Shades Freed picks up the story of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) at their wedding, a surprisingly austere affair. We are thrust immediately into the nuptials which aren’t nearly as lavish as you’d imagine; especially when compared to the rest of the movie which is little more than architecture porn. Ana and Christian seem to have reached a place of mutuality though his jealousy is easily peaked, as when Ana decides to go topless in San Tropez.

There isn’t really much of a plot to Fifty Shades Freed aside from a few soap opera twists. Jack Hyde (Eric Johnson) is back as Ana’s creepy former boss now turned corporate terrorist and stalker. Jack wants to get to Christian by doing horrible things to the new Mrs. Grey for reasons that, were we to unpack them, would sound implausible on an episode of As the World Turns, let alone in a mainstream feature film.

Hyde drives what little plot there is in this otherwise dull-witted princess fantasy. Ana is the avatar for every woman who wishes that a rich, handsome prince would come and sweep them into millionaire status and bone their brains out accordingly. It’s a rather reductive and insulting fantasy but nevertheless, it’s a fantasy shared by many and part of the appeal of this otherwise insipid franchise.

I say insipid only because these characters, Ana and Christian, don’t have much of any interest to say. The dialogue is mostly dull exposition, uninteresting confessions or whiny insults or rebukes. Dakota Johnson does remarkable work to overcome the boring dialogue but she isn’t helped by co-star Dornan who appears to have been given Thorazine prior to filming each scene out of fear that emotion or charisma might sneak into his performance.

With that said, I don’t want to be completely dismissive of Fifty Shades Freed or even the franchise as a whole. Say what you will about the sex on display in Fifty Shades Freed, Dakota Johnson looks elegant and, in a rarity in modern film, is allowed to simply enjoy sex without having to apologize for it. It’s actually a pretty great corrective to the movement toward awkward, assumedly more ‘realistic’ sex that came about earlier in this young century.

For years it seemed we were doomed to comic depictions of sexuality. Sensuality was often replaced by comedically over-the-top awkward depictions of sex. Pleasure was replaced by the punchline of dopey guys rolling over to sleep after the briefest and most awkward encounters. After going too far in the sex thrillers of the nineties we responded with immaturity in the aughts and say what you want about the 'Fifty Shades' franchise, the film’s sex positive approach flies in the face of most modern pop culture.

Again, that’s not to argue that Fifty Shades Freed is a good movie. Director James Foley directs the film with a professional flair and Dakota Johnson does what she can with the silliness of the story and her stolid leading man, but, overall, the movie can’t overcome the amateurish nature of the source material. The sex is good, both Johnson and Dornan are committed to the sex and there is something to be said about a modern movie depicting sex as something other than awkward or something to hidden away and ashamed of.