Based on the classic Oscar Wilde novel, this modern interpretation of the immortal Dorian Gray is played by Ben Barnes and is directed by Oliver Parker who put a unique and contemporary look on this dark tale. In terms of movies and plays, this adaptation of Dorian Gray is quite faithful to the original book as our protagonist makes a despicable deal with the devil.

Upon arriving in London during the Victorian era, Dorian, still a mortal meets two individuals who soon set him on a different path of life. These people include Basil Hallward (Chaplin) and Henry Wotton (Firth) who trigger Gray’s self indulgent life. Gray commissions his friend Hallward to paint a picture of him and he is so besotted over this painting, he sells his soul to the devil to forever remain as he looks in the portrait.

As the years progress, Gray continues to live his indulgent life, however he remains as youthful as he did those many years ago. However as he grows more corrupted, he sees his painting for what its worth, a corrupt and hideous portrayal of himself.

At times, there feels like there is a touch of hedonism and homosexuality between Gray and his Hallward but as I thought about this more, it seems to be just one of the subtle modern twists to this tale. There are some strong performances in the film, more specifically from Colin Firth but ironically Barnes is rather un-inspirational as the corruptible Gray, even though he portrays the character brilliantly. Rebecca Hall plays Wotton's daughter who adds an element of romance… more specifically passion into the tale of the Gray that at times, feels a little forced.

The DVD quality is good with strong levels of black and good skin tones that is matched with some great CGI and cinematography. The audio, although nothing spectacular suits the movie as does the great musical score which adds to this story of woe and corruption. To compliment the DVD, there are some cast interviews and featurettes that go not into the making of this film but also the history of the character.

In the end, Dorian Gray is not a bad flick but it's not great either. Just be warned that the gore really stands out in this movie from its subtle grey tones of the Victorian era.