Updated version of Oscar Wilde's story geared to modern sensibilities that would perhaps appeal especially to horror genre enthusiasts.. . It seemed more or less conventional period piece for awhile but about 40 minutes in, an event occurred that nearly killed the whole thing for me. But the acting was so good I stayed.
The blood, gore, and sex had to be endured, but thankfully these and other lurid elements were dished out in fairly short segments. The portrait did not merely become besmirched with the increasing decadence of the eponymous anti-hero, it exuded vermin that fell writhing to the floor, to name one example. Purists might want to take on a pass on this but if they like good acting they might reconsider. Ben Barnes (Dorian Gray) appears almost callow at the outset but that perhaps to reflect his early innocence. But he loses that rather quickly and becomes perfectly believable with an appearance Oscar would have approved of.
Ben Chaplin (Basil Hallward) very good. The epigrams are often thought of as breezy, mirthful witticisms, delivered perhaps with hauteur but Colin Firth's (Lord Henry Wotton) are stern and brisk, intoned as if to be something to be remembered for the next quiz, highly entertaining and still (if not more) amusing. Dorian learns them well (as we know). Colin Firth is a versatile actor and I like him especially in this vein, the aristocratic bearing with the air of authority and sophistication, not to be messed with. A wonderful screen presence. The star of the show (for me).
