Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer’s film In Darkness has been coming in for some criticism due to its “gratuitous nudity”, in particular a scene where the religious ritual washing of a corpse is intercut with shots of Dormer’s character showering.
However, speaking to The Guardian, Dormer – who also scripted the movie – has defended the film’s use of nudity, stating that it was a deliberate creative decision.
“There has to be sexuality in the power play of a thriller” states Dormer. “We have all got bodies, after all. In this film the sex scene, which for me was a love-making scene, is a metaphor for the way my character connects with the part played by Ed Skrein. Nakedness is a good equalizer and the shower scene also shows the tattoos on my character’s body and makes it clear she is not quite who you think.”
“If the lead characters do not have a clear connection, then it doesn’t work,” she continues. “And on screen it has to be a physical connection between two broken people. That was my intention. In a thriller the protagonists always have to join together somehow and sex represents that connection. If you are being true to the genre, you have to show this.”
SEE ALSO: Watch the trailer for In Darkness here
Blind pianist Sofia (Natalie Dormer) overhears a struggle in the apartment above hers that leads to the death of her neighbour, Veronique (Emily Ratajkowski). It is the start of a journey that pushes Sofia out of her depth and into contact with Veronique’s father, Milos Radic (Jan Bijvoet), a Serbian businessman and alleged war criminal accused of committing acts of genocide during the Bosnian war, who is now living in London under political asylum. Blind to the truth, Sofia risks her life in search of answers, and is plunged into a shady underworld of corruption, violence and blackmail. As secrets from her own past become intertwined with Radic’s inner circle of deceit, Sofia’s own agenda is revealed, as she hunts for revenge.
Originally published July 1, 2019. Updated July 8, 2019.
