Director Heralds the Latest ‘Emma Marx’ as the Best Yet
“To survive isn’t always about prevailing over some gigantic force. It’s about evolving – evolving past what doesn’t work, opening ourselves to new possibilities, and letting go of the person we no longer are.” The opening narration sets the basic themes of The Submission of Emma Marx: Evolved. Shots of Emma (Penny Pax) packing away her old bondage toys further accent the ideas of change and evolution. The movie itself is an evolution for director Jacky St. James, and she finds that the results have topped everything that’s come before.
“Without question, this is the best Emma Marx of the series,” St. James told AVN. “From the acting to the cinematography to the music and to the way everyone came together—we created something magical. This is a re-imagining of what could be for Emma. Fans of the series are going to see something edgy, sexy and emotional, captured perfectly by Eddie Powell‘s masterful lens.” (Powell was one of St. James’s original mentors and continues to serve as director of photography on many of her blockbuster movies.)
Accordingly, the story strikes out in a new direction and leaves the narrative arc of the previous installments behind. Once the naive submissive to Richie Calhoun‘s dominant Mr. Frederick, Emma finds herself abandoning the BDSM lifestyle after her companion’s death. (Mr. Frederick does return, ghostlike, to provide some of the movie’s voice-overs.) Though teased by her sister, Naudia (Riley Reid), about her hum-drum sex life, Emma is content to let the old bondage gear gather dust in a chest. Everything changes when Mariah (Violet Starr) enters the scene. Sexually adventurous, Mariah coaxes Penny back into the sub/dom world she thought she’d left behind. This time, however, it’s Emma who will be the master!
The plot’s role reversal from the original trilogy functions like an upside-down version of 50 Shades of Grey. “We’ve all grown in our respective roles and have put together something that I am certain fans of the films will love. Violet brings a fresh new energy to the story and Penny, Riley, and Van — returning from the previous three installments — are truly superb,” St. James said.
