Two years ago, one of the most controversial films of recent memory was released with “Fifty Shades of Grey.” Now, America has firmly adjusted to this franchise existing in the zeitgeist, and we now have “Fifty Shades Darker.”

As there are so many criticisms of the state of the film industry right now, we must have to ask, is there really a purpose for this film?

Quite frankly, there is a lot working against “Fifty Shades Darker.” If we start at the production’s incentives, it seems to be extremely financially motivated. Watching the trailers and looking at the promotional material, you can just see the dollar signs in executive’s eyes. Sequels and cinematic universes are all the rage right now, so of course they’ll squeeze every last dollar out of this franchise. Of course they will pair the movie with various brands to sell us things. Of course they will release the film with a future hit song. This movie’s DNA is corporate through and through, with each decision being made in a boardroom.

When looking at the content of the film, there is a lot to be disturbed by. Seeing the original “Fifty Shades of Grey” was one of the more dreary times I’ve spent in a movie theater, and “Fifty Shades Darker” appears to be more of the same. The relationship Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey share has a very concerning power dynamic, which is only made worse by the fact they’re rather undeveloped characters.

The thing that makes the “Fifty Shades” franchise different is that everything I’ve said above is far from a secret. I am not some genius unearthing this information, in fact, you probably know and agree with everything I’ve already said, as does Universal Pictures. We all know these things, yet the movie succeeds.

We often hear the same thing: “It’s my guilty pleasure. I know it’s bad, but I enjoy it.” I would argue that not only is there nothing wrong with that sentence, but there is no reason to even dumb it down to the idea of a guilty pleasure.

When you look at the beginning of cinema, films were always an amazing way to create escapism. You can watch this story, and be transported into a different world. Now, the world you’re being transported to in “Fifty Shades Darker” is rather disturbing and not somewhere I would really like to be, but who am I to say you shouldn’t enjoy it? We live in an era where there is so much great content available, which is cool, but the plethora of great content has also created a judgmental culture. You shouldn’t be watching “The Big Bang Theory,” you should be watching “Silicon Valley.”

While people enjoy action movies and stupid comedies with loving judgment, there seems to be a certain stigma with the “Fifty Shades” franchise that is unprecedented. Whether because of the subject matter or the actual technique of the film, people love to hate on it.

In this politically unstable time, a little escapism isn’t the worst thing. Sure, “Fifty Shades Darker” is a crazy world, but is it any crazier than the one we’re in right now? For two hours, it might just be the perfect distraction.

Erik Benjamin is a sophomore television, radio and film major. His column appears weekly in Pulp. You can email him at [email protected] or follow him @embenjamin14 on Twitter.

Published on February 13, 2017 at 11:07 pm