His Dark Media › Opinion › Reviews › Dorian Gray

Review published by Rhiannon-Clare on 9th Sep 2009. 0 Comments.

It can seem nigh on impossible to disregard an original story and review a film as a piece of work in its own, independent right, and for an adaption such as this, I find myself unable to separate the initial from the derivative. With classic literature, there is a standard that a film is expected to reach: with Oscar Wilde, this is even more of an imperative. The Picture of Dorian Gray, although not my favourite gothic novel (Bram Stoker's Dracula holds that hallowed and honoured place in my heart) is nevertheless a pinnacle of fabulously Faustian drama. It is pleasant to watch a film that retains the essential message of a story such as this: despite a couple of tweakings to the plot, Dorian Gray provides its audience with an acceptable adaption of the original novel. In a season of recycled storylines, we are least delivered a satisfactory, if not brilliant motion picture.

Ben Barnes gives an extremely convincing performance as Gray, first with a charming naiveté and then with a tortured grace as Gray is led down the path of wanton pleasure at the dire cost of his soul. His descent in to debauchery and deviance is a thrill to watch, with dreamlike sequences involving divine women and substances that although not illegal then, would land you in custody quicker than a cocaine hit these days. Barnes’ allure as the infamous Dorian Gray lies not only in his handsome features, but also his winsome demeanour. He arrives in London to claim his inheritance after the death of his grandfather and is taken under the wing of a dapper Lord Wotton, played with panache and a sinister charisma by Colin Firth. With his moustache and glittering dark eyes Firth brings to mind an aristocratic satan, playing serpent and tempting Gray with his platitudes of pleasure and self gratification. It is the exceptional performances from these two actors that give the film its subtly appealing quality.

Somewhat disappointing was the diminished role of Gray's lady love, Sybil Vane, which I can only assume was the result of the bland performance from Rachel Hurd-Wood, whose portrayal of a sweet and beautiful actress fell considerably short of adequate. Emotionless, expressionless: Hurd-Wood could have been reading her lines from an autocue. Vane's suicide, though true to the original storyline, was borne of a passionless argument between she and Gray. The lack of chemistry between the two was laughable, and viewers with no knowledge of the book might find themselves wondering at such a dramatic ending to a seemingly lifeless relationship.

Lending a hyperbolous edge to what could have been a far creepier story motif if handled with more care and less enthusiasm for computer generated horror, Gray’s portrait was depicted with excessive use of CGI. Film makers, revelling in the power to portray all and everything seem to forget that our imaginations are a far more potent tool in the genre of horror. That’s why The Blair Witch Project and Alien are truly frightening: fear of the unknowable, the mysterious, is an effective device, and one unfortunately not employed in this film. The slithering sound effects were the scariest part of the portrait scenes, something I found truly unsatisfactory.

"Unsatisfactory" is a word I would use to describe this film for the most part. It is entertaining and has elements of horror that appease an audience ignorant of the implicit monstrosity of a human soul gone awry in the original story.

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