I saw Kink billed as a film about a much-maligned and misunderstood community of people into an alternate lifestyle, and thought it might have something insightful and interesting to say about people into BDSM -- and there are many such people, if the huge amount of interest in such books as 'Fifty Shades" are any indication.
I was disappointed to discover that Kink is not about that at all, but rather about the fetish porn industry - and one particular fetish porn provider: Kink.com. A company that actually has a bad reputation when it comes to safety and the handling of actors - regardless of what is said in the movie.
Soliciting the producers and directors of fetish porn for insightful and meaningful observations about BDSM is like trying to make a film about romance and sexuality featuring only the views of prostitutes. This isn't a value judgement on morals -- don't care about that. But rather an observation that if one wishes to make a film about the BDSM community, one might consider actually contacting people in that community and finding out what "real people" are doing and why, instead of going to the people doing it for money.
Very revealing was the interview with one very fetching model. When asked what she liked about doing bondage porn, she might have replied with something like: "I really enjoy BDSM, and doing in on camera adds to the thrill. Plus I get paid good money for doing it." No no, instead she replies that the challenge is in enduring the shoot, pushing herself to get through it. This is is a major clue as to the nature of fetish and bondage porn: the makers and actors, for the most part, are not personally into it. They're only in it for the money.
Unless you would be intrigued by a "behind-the-scenes" look at how kink.com makes their fetish porn videos, this is not worth watching.
