The popular and steamy 50 Shades Trilogy is based on a series of erotic romance books by E.L. James: Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, and Fifty Shades Freed. The series follows the relationship between college graduate Anastasia Steele and young businessman Christian Grey, who introduces her to the world of BDSM. But is the Fifty Shades Trilogy an accurate representation of BDSM, and what does the BDSM community think of it?
We’ll find out, but let’s first briefly introduce the 50 Shades Trilogy.
50 Shades of Grey
“Fifty Shades of Grey” is an adaptation of E.L. James’ bestselling novel of the same name. Released in 2015, it’s the first installment of the 50 Shades Trilogy. Starring Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, the film tells the story of Anastasia Steele, a college student tasked with interviewing successful businessman Christian Grey for her school newspaper. At first, Anastasia doesn’t like how cold and distant Christian is, but as she gets to know him better, she becomes more and more interested in him.
As their relationship develops, Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) introduces Anastasia (Dakota Johnson) to the world of BDSM. She finds herself both fascinated and intimidated by his desires. Despite her initial hesitations, Anastasia agrees to enter a BDSM relationship with Christian. But as they get closer, she finds it hard to understand how she feels about him when he wants dark and often violent things.
As the two keep getting to know each other, more significant challenges and fears are coming their way. Anastasia is torn between her love for Christian and her fear of being hurt by him, while Christian’s past traumas haunt him, and he struggles to open himself up to love.
-
BDSM sexual awakening
In short, the film adaptation of “Fifty Shades of Grey” is the story of a young woman’s sexual awakening and journey to understanding her desires. The film explores the complexities of BDSM relationships, with Christian assuming the dominant role and Anastasia the submissive. It also reconnoiters the struggles that can arise when two people with very different views on love and sex try to build a relationship. The film’s cinematography is stunning, and the two lead actors have a strong chemistry that makes the film’s steamy scenes all the more intense.
Although the portrayal of BDSM in “50 Shades of Grey” has been criticized for its inaccurate and potentially harmful representation of the lifestyle, the film contains various kinks.
What types of kinks are present in “50 Shades of Grey”?
In 50 Shades of Grey, there are many kinks and BDSM practices shown, such as:
- Bondage: The use of ropes, chains, or other restraints to bind a partner.
- Discipline: Punishing a partner for misbehavior or enforcing specific rules or behaviors.
- Dominance and submission: The act of one person exerting power and control over another person who willingly submits to them.
- Sadomasochism: The act of receiving pleasure from giving or receiving pain.
- Spanking: Striking a partner’s buttocks with an open hand or an implement.
- Role-playing: Assuming a specific role or persona to act out a fantasy or scenario.
- Anal Play: Play involving stimulation of the anus using toys or fingers.
- Exhibitionism and Voyeurism: Exhibitionism is the act of displaying one’s self, while voyeurism is the act of watching.
50 Shades Darker
“50 Shades Darker” is the second installment in the Fifty Shades trilogy. James Foley is in charge of the movie, and Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan play the main characters, Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey.
“50 Shades Darker” picks up where the first film, “50 Shades of Grey,” left off. The story follows the relationship of Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) and Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan), who rekindle their relationship despite the difficulties they faced in the first film. However, as they build a life together, Christian’s past comes back to haunt him in the form of his former submissive, Leila Williams, who becomes obsessed with Christian and starts stalking him and Ana.
Ana also faces challenges from Christian’s business rival, Jack Hyde, who is determined to ruin Christian’s life and take Ana for himself. Throughout the film, Ana and Christian struggle to overcome these obstacles and build trust in their relationship. Meanwhile, Christian works to overcome his dark past and emotional demons to commit to Ana fully. Drama, conflict, and suspense fill the story as Ana and Christian figure out how to deal with their complicated relationship and the forces trying to pull them apart.
-
Great cinematography, but lack of chemistry
The technical and visual parts of the movie are well executed, especially the use of music and cinematography. The film’s use of color and lighting effectively sets the mood and atmosphere of the story. The soundtrack of the movie is also worth mentioning. It has a mix of well-known songs and an original score that adds to the film’s overall experience.
However, the lead actors’ performances, Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan, have been criticized for being wooden and lacking chemistry. The film’s pacing and editing have also been criticized for being uneven and confusing. The screenplay is also under the pump for better writing and capturing the novel’s essence.
Overall, “50 Shades Darker” is a film that fails to deliver on the promise of its source material. The performances, pacing, and screenplay could be better, making for an unsatisfying viewing experience. The film’s technical and visual aspects are its saving grace, but they are not enough to compensate for its shortcomings.
What types of kinks are present in “50 Shades Darker”?
When writing about 50 Shades Darker, the writer didn’t lose her touch. There are many kinks and BDSM practices shown, such as:
- Red Room of Pain
- Foods during foreplay
- Spanking
- Rough sex
- Sadomasochism
- Whipping
Fifty Shades Freed
Directed by James Foley and written by Niall Leonard, Fifty Shades Freed is the final installment in the Fifty Shades trilogy. It emerged in 2018 and starred Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele and Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey.
The film picks up where the previous installment, Fifty Shades Darker, left off, with Anastasia and Christian getting married in a lavish ceremony. However, as they start their new life together, they soon discover that being married to a billionaire has its own challenges. Anastasia has trouble adjusting to her new role as Christian’s wife, and Christian’s past continues to bother him, putting stress on their relationship.
Despite these challenges, the couple is determined to make their marriage work, and they embark on a romantic honeymoon to France and later to their private island. They also move into luxurious apartments in the city. Still, their happiness is short-lived when they receive threats from Jack Hyde, Anastasia’s former boss, who has a vendetta against Christian.
-
Final happy ending
In short, the final installment in the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy brings the story of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey to a close. The film is a romantic drama that explores the couple’s relationship as they navigate marriage and the challenges that come with it. The acting is decent, with Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan delivering strong performances as Anastasia and Christian, respectively. However, the plot is predictable, and the pacing is sometimes slow. The movie also has some steamy scenes, but they are not as explicit as in the previous films in the series. The film is visually stunning, with some beautiful locations, including the French Riviera and the private island.
Overall, Fifty Shades Freed is a satisfying conclusion to the Fifty Shades trilogy. Although the film may not appeal to those not fans of the series, it provides a fitting conclusion to the story of Anastasia and Christian.
What types of kinks are present in “50 Shades Freed”?
Like the earlier two parts, 50 Shades Freed didn’t shy away from showing different kinks and BDSM practices. It includes:
- Bondage
- Submission
- Pegging/butt play
- Stimulator
- Spanking
- Chain of Fools sex position
- Rough sex
- Sadomasochism
- Whipping
50 Shades vs. BDSM: Was There Any Negative Portrayal?
The Fifty Shades of Grey series introduced many people to the BDSM way of life. By popularizing BDSM, James undoubtedly contributed to expanding the discourse on dominance and submission. Unfortunately, despite all the good press it gets, I think Fifty Shades of Grey has hurt the community more than it has helped.
Many things in the 50 Shades of Grey trilogies are debatable and might not be acceptable to the BDSM community. They are suitable to be used as fiction; they are not actually related to BDSM.
For example, comparing Christian’s domineering role to his coldness toward Ana is a false equivalence. Christian fails to show love to Ana when she most needs it in the movie Fifty Shades Freed. During the film, he does this twice. First, when she defies his orders not to go out with her friends and is almost kidnapped at knifepoint; second, when she admits she unintentionally fell pregnant even though he’s not ready to be a father.
Lack of Emotion
You may reprimand or impose restrictions on your subordinate when they do something that offends you, but you won’t typically be needlessly cruel. This is because dominant people don’t genuinely lack emotion, especially during a traumatic event when your partner needs you the most.
In addition, the main problem is that Christian seems to be acting rather than being himself. As a result, Ana and Christian become less connected. Christian’s chilly demeanor is attributed in the novels and movies to a difficult upbringing and an early sexual involvement with a much older lady, but these “explanations” are also flawed. Because the show conflates Christian’s traumatic past with his sexual preferences, it feeds the myth that those who enjoy BDSM are somehow “broken.” It is unreasonable to assume that someone is solely like D/s because they were mistreated as children or because they wish to hurt others.
The lovers’ emotional connection is missing, particularly when engaging in D/s. They don’t have that, and there is a huge disconnect. Also, in BDSM, love and affection are essential in relationships, but Fifty Shades of Grey doesn’t have them.
Interested in a deeper view of how we see the book and movie portraying BDSM? Feel free and check our dedicated blog post.
What the BDSM Community Thinks about 50 Shades of Grey
The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy has received mixed reactions from the BDSM community. Some people in the community have said that the way the show shows BDSM is harmful because it spreads harmful stereotypes and false ideas about the lifestyle. They have also noted that the way consent is shown and relationships work in the show is dangerous, unlike healthy BDSM relationships.
Critics also argue that books and movies present BDSM as something that wealthy and attractive people only do; it’s not accessible to the average person and not inclusive. Also, neither the books nor the movies show how important communication, consent, and safety are in BDSM practices.
On the other hand, some people in the BDSM community have defended the show by saying that it has helped bring more attention to and acceptance of BDSM. They say the show broke down taboos and stereotypes about BDSM and got more people interested in the lifestyle.
What’s your opinion? Please leave it in the comments below!
Haven’t seen it yet, or do you need to re-watch it again before having your final opinion? Find the Trilogy of 50 Shades for download on Amazon Prime or as a DVD/Blu-ray.
Related Posts
Step into the world of BDSM through the lens of captivating cinema. We have curated a list of the eight best BDSM movies available on Amazon Prime, offering thought-provoking narratives and...
Looking for a BDSM partner will be more complicated than finding a partner for vanilla sex. As a result, it's common to turn to dating apps. These have made it easier to find people who share your...