The 1974 version of Emmanuelle was probably one of the first erotic movies I saw. I remember watching it during a late-night segment on a local TV station called “Bleu Nuit.” The movie was okay—more of a story with a few erotic scenes rather than a full-on erotic film. It spawned a lot of sequels, including three with the original actress, Sylvia Kristel. The cinematography had a similar feel to The Story of O, which came out around the same time.
This reboot is different from many others I’ve seen. It’s not a shot-for-shot remake, nor does it follow the same story or character arcs as the original. However, it does include some similar scenes from the 1974 film, which is fun if you’re a fan. That said, I think the original did a better job at embracing the erotic aspects. The lead actress is gorgeous, but she doesn’t quite have the same magic that Sylvia Kristel had.
This movie won’t win an Oscar, but it’s still entertaining. I doubt they’ll make a sequel, especially since it got a bad score on Rotten Tomatoes.
I’d give it a 3/5 for nostalgia.
