The series of erotic films centered around the French character of Emmanuelle — originally based on the book of the same name by Emmanuelle Arsan — has a streak of rotten scores that have not impeded the making of its sequels and a reboot, achieving relative financial success. With the latest outing continuing this tradition and the movie itself making it very clear why, I'm inclined to believe that the Emmanuelle series has only endured because, well, of hot sex scenes.

Emmanuelle's incredibly pointless viewing experience is only partially salvaged by its lead actresses. There's an interesting history behind the loose franchise about a French woman visiting notable locations in East Asia and experimenting with her sexuality through various clandestine encounters, but the new reboot lacks anything as remotely intriguing as this.

Emmanuelle Isn't Meaningful As An Erotic Drama-Romance

Emmanuelle Isn't As Empowering As It Is Supposed To Be In Theory

The new Emmanuelle was able to nab an all-star actress like Portrait of a Lady on Fire's Noémie Merlant. Here, Emmanuelle is a cutthroat executive evaluating a five-star Hong Kong hotel owned by her company and being pushed to find a reason to fire her manager Margot (Noami Watts). This movie revolves around a woman in a luxurious setting with the means to indulge in whatever vices she wants, and yet it is presented, especially for the first act, in a way that suggests a male gaze on her.

The way the scenario plays out makes it seem like this is his fantasy rather than hers.

In what I gather is a classic Emmanuelle move, the movie opens with her tacitly inviting a stranger in business class to have sex with her in an airplane bathroom. The way the scenario plays out — focusing on her adjusting her skirt over her thigh, taking off a layer of clothing, and walking down the aisle — all make it seem like this is his fantasy rather than hers. Other shots appear as though someone is looking at her from across a courtyard or from behind, or hone in on her looking at a specific man.

Some might still see the new installment as being about a powerful woman embracing sexuality, looking for something that truly satisfies her, but there are too many problems with how it's portrayed. It’s a shame, as Merlant would be excellent as the suave bombshell type in another movie.

Emmanuelle's Gorgeous Optics Are Grossly Misused

Some Of Emmanuelle's Set Pieces & Cinematography Are Genuinely Impressive

The cinematography, the staging, the lighting all have the kind of precision that suggests everything is carefully thought out, placed, and executed. A lot of it is gorgeous in how it frames the characters, highlights the setting, and focuses or blurs different subjects. Select sex scenes do have the intended effect of being atmospheric and enticing. This makes it all the more disappointing that such artistic choices couldn't have been used in a movie that thoughtfully ponders themes about power and pleasure.

The Moment Where Emmanuelle Sort Of Came Together

Naomi Watts' Character Manages To Partially Redeem This Movie In One Line

We also embark on these subplots about the running of the hotel, with very little thematic coherence to any of it. It's simply an unlikable woman holding all the cards doing her job while a lot of weird porn movie scenarios happen on the side. However, when Margot directly confronted Emmanuelle, asking if she had found something wrong or if she had "decided to enjoy herself," I was surprised to feel like some underlying story had emerged that tied everything together.

I will give credit to the cast which also includes Will Sharpe and Jamie Campbell Bower that they did not shy away from this task, delivering their lines smoothly.

From there, I could see this as a narrative about the strenuous corporate world, in which women are pitted against each other, but Emmanuelle finds thrilling pleasure in the luxury she has the privilege of experiencing and the people she meets. People just act weird in this movie to facilitate spontaneous sex and dirty conversation, but I will give credit to the cast, which also includes Will Sharpe and Jamie Campbell Bower, that they do not shy away from this task, delivering their lines smoothly.

Yet the thesis of Emmanuelle seems to come down to people wanting to be watched and desired; this is translated as female characters wanting male characters to creepily intrude upon them. It's resolved when the lead finally finds the right man to have sex with, ending her streak of unsatisfying dalliances. Especially after the year that gave us Nicole Kidman's Babygirl, movies that are going to market themselves as erotic dramas face a new challenge to delve into bigger themes of dynamics in sexual relationships, and Emmanuelle doesn't do this.

Emmanuelle is now available on demand.