Released 12 November 2009 in Australia, I finally watched this on DVD in August 2010.

Wow…  What a movie.  As creeped out and uncomfortable as it left me in places, it is the epitome of what happens to the human soul when we allow deceit, lies, and falsehoods in.

If we think we can do whatever we like without consequences, then we are sorely mistaken.

Poor Dorian (Ben Barnes).  He arrives in Londen at 20 years old to inherit his family home.  He is filled with wonder and all is good until the first meeting with Lord Henry Wotton (Colin Firth), pretty much as soon as he walks through the door.  Lord Henry begins to fill Dorian’s head with thoughts of “it’s ok to enjoy life, don’t feel guilty about it” and continues to push him to do so throughout the movie.  He is sending Dorian down the path of self destruction, patting him on the back all the way.

Dorian had his portrait painted shortly after his arrival to London, and while Dorian stays forever young and seemingly unscathed by his debaucherous lifestyle, the portrait shows the effect that the sin filled life is really having on his soul.  In the end, Dorian realises that he cannot go on this way and tries to “change” and become “good” again, but things have gone too far and now there is only one way out.

From a Christian perspective, I relate Lord Henry to the serpent in the Garden of Eden.  Eve was living happily until the serpent came along and started putting doubt into her head.  Doubt is the killer of faith and trust…

I rate this movie 9/10.