Director: Oliver Parker
Year: 2009
Stars: Ben Barnes, Colin Firth, Ben Chaplin
I had wanted to see this when it was originally released, but the less-than-positive reviews put me off a little. The trailer still made it look good though, so I decided to give it a watch when I saw it was premiering on network TV.
Dorian Gray is based on the Oscar Wilde novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, which I have to admit I've never read - so I can't compare it to that. But based purely on what was on the screen, I found it perfectly enjoyable. Having re-read some of the reviews, I can understand some of the criticisms. The final third of the movie is a bit of an attempt at spectacle, and therefore doesn't quite follow the very atmospheric gothic horror that has come before. What appears in the final picture of Dorian Gray is also never going to be as frightening as what you are imagining.
However, as a straight story, it's interesting, different, enjoyable and builds up a great, tense atmosphere. I liked it.
Rating: 4 out of 5
No comments:
Post a Comment