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Domestic violence protesters target 'Fifty Shades Darker' premiere

Protests… campaigners protested 50 Shades Darker premiere – Credit: PA
Protests… campaigners protested 50 Shades Darker premiere – Credit: PA

By Ben Arnold, Yahoo Movies UK

Campaigners against domestic abuse protested at the UK premiere of ‘Fifty Shades Darker’ last night, arriving at London’s Leicester Square with banners and placards.

The group were representatives from the ’50 Shades Is Domestic Abuse’ campaign, which argues that the movies and books, penned by E.L. James and which feature explicit sadomasochistic sex, ‘groom women for abuse’.

One protestor held a sign with the slogan ‘Christian Grey is a rapist’, while others sported t-shirts saying ’50 Shades is domestic abuse’.

(Credit: PA)
(Credit: PA)

The campaign’s founder Natalie Collins said: “Fifty Shades is more than just a fiction series, it is a social phenomenon.

“Its success evidences society-wide ignorance about abusive behaviour, normalises abusers and perpetuates damaging stereotypes about BDSM sexualities.

“Fifty Shades Darker is further normalising abuse and we are seeking to peacefully protest its messages and educate people about abusive behaviour.”

Speaking on the red carpet, the movie’s star Dakota Johnson denied that her character Anastasia Steele is a victim.

“I think if those people were to see the film they would see that Anastasia is an incredibly empowered young woman and everything she does is of her own volition,” she told the Daily Telegraph.

“I think she carries herself with such integrity and self worth that maybe if they watched it they would feel a little bit inspired.”

(Credit: Getty)
(Credit: Getty)

Co-star Jamie Dornan, who plays billionaire businessman Christian Grey, added: “The biggest part of S&M is boundaries, having a safe word, that’s what that is. People only do it because they want to, nobody forces you into it.

“Some people like to be tied up and whipped, I don’t but lots of people do in the world, they love it and that is their right. It’s consensual and that should close that argument.”

Much like the first movie, released in 2015, the sequel has come in for some scathing reviews so far, and currently holds a lowly 8% approval rating on reviews aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.

Peter Travers in Rolling Stone writes: “Fifty Shades Dumber is more like it. The only conviction Johnson and Dornan bring to their roles comes in their mutual awkwardness. This softcore swill is hardcore awful.”

Meanwhile, Charlotte O’Sullivan in the Evening Standard bluntly surmised that the movie ‘feels like something farted out of the backside of the Eighties’.

However, Jordan Hoffman in Vanity Fair has called the film ‘a trash masterpiece’.

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