3.9 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.1 |
A parody of Fifty Shades of Grey.
Starring: Marlon Wayans, Kali Hawk, Fred Willard, Mike Epps, Affion CrockettComedy | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 1.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Fifty Shades of Grey, the movie based on the smash hit novel by E. L. James, wasn't particularly well received, mocked in many circles and derided as a cheap cash-in, suffocating from terrible writing and dreadful performances. Sounds like a parody film. If Grey did have anything going for it, it was name recognition, cultural awareness, and plenty of buzz, which are the only ingredients necessary to launch a parody. Fifty Shades of Black is that parody movie, and it shares much in common with its parent, including terrible writing. The movie plays out as expected, written, executed, and released with little creative awareness or flow. Shaped by thoughtless gags, repetitive rambling, unfunny jokes, and performances that can't squeeze out any humor from a vacuous script, the movie is practically as bad as one can imagine, though mercifully a little tighter and more focused than the randomized bottom-scraping drek that's overwhelmed the genre in recent years.
"I like..."
Fifty Shades of Black shows its colors on Blu-ray with a tight and precise 1080p transfer. The only major sore spot here is a sprinkling of noise that creeps in every now and then. Otherwise, it's good to go. The digital photography is slick and clean and reveals both a bright, accurate color scheme and well defined details. The image is home to an abundance of rich colors, whether a bright blue VW Beetle or Hannah's friend's colorful ensembles and pink, purple, and red-dominant hair, nails, and makeup. Some of the sleeker shades of gray, black, and white in the Black Enterprises offices sparkle, too. Details are accurate and robust. Facial textures are intimately revealing, fine clothing lines are tactile, and the image's natural proclivity to sharpness allows every background detail, whether little touches in offices or broad overhead skyline vistas, to shine. Black levels hold strong, evident particularly in an overhead nighttime exterior. Flesh tones are healthy and full.
Fifty Shades of Black's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is technically sound but sonically unremarkable. The presentation is very straightforward, yielding high energy music, basic support effects, and dialogue. Music is well defined and robust. Spacing along the front is wide, instrumental clarity is excellent, and the low end is potent when called upon. There's not a seriously heavy back channel presence, however. Small little sonic touches occasionally find their way to the back, but don't expect a steady barrage of surround goodness. Dialogue is the primary feature here. The spoken word enjoys natural center placement, flawless clarity, and consistent prioritization. All in all, this is a fine track but one that won't ever be a go-to reference listen if only for its lack of anything memorable or remarkable above and beyond the call of duty.
Fifty Shades of Black contains a handful of deleted scenes and a brief featurette. A UV/iTunes digital copy voucher is included with purchase.
Long gone are the days of the great parody films -- Spaceballs, The Naked Gun, even Hot Shots! -- but credit Marlon Wayans and Fifty Shades of Black with at least running with a line of attack and refusing to drift off course and entertain stale pop culture gags that have lost their relevance before the movie even hits theaters. Fifty Shades of Black is mostly unfunny and completely unnecessary, but it's not uneven. It makes light of delicate issues, such as race and sex, with an obvious and self-deprecating wink and a nod. Rarely is it funny, but it's at least focused on the task. Universal's Blu-ray delivers scant extra features and quality video and audio. Worth a rental on a really slow weekend and as an amusing side compliment for fans of the film on which it is based.
Unrated
2015
2001
2013
2016
1982
Extreme Unrated Edition
2004
2013
2014
2018
2016
1986
2016
Mastered in 4K
2013
2013
2010
2023
2022
2018
2018
2018