Fifty Shades Darker Review: 2 Ups & 8 Downs

5. It Wastes An Insanely Talented Cast & Crew

Fifty Shades Darker Kim Basinger
Universal

Sweet baby Jesus there are a lot of talented artists who sold their soul for this movie. First up, Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan are solid actors left stranded with a pathetic script, written not-so-coincidentally by author E.L. James' husband Niall Leonard.

Then there's director James Foley, who previously helmed the fantastic drama Glengarry Glen Ross and more recently numerous episodes of House of Cards, slumming it here for an easy payday (and having already filmed the third movie, Fifty Shades Freed, too).

On top of that, the legendary Danny Elfman provides the score, cinematographer John Schwartzman (who will be lensing Star Wars: Episode IX) shot it, and Oscar-nominated editor Richard Francis-Bruce cut it all together.

Plus, Oscar winners Kim Basinger and Marcia Gay-Harden appear in supporting cameo roles too. This movie is an embarrassment of riches as far as talent goes, so it's basically a crime against art that the resulting movie is so damn terrible.

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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.