Thing 1: the film is good. It is exciting and gripping. Not the sort of film you’d say you enjoy as such, but a good experience. Ben Barnes is very good in the lead role. Apparently it’s quite different from the book, because the book has very little plot and is basically just Oscar Wilde rambling and trying to show off how clever he is. But the plot of the film is good. For a fuller review, see James Doc's blog.
Thing 2: the film is rated 15, which is a joke. It is easily an 18. Mild horror, quite a bit of strong gore, some drug use, and a LOT of sex. Fully nude sex scenes, orgies, hetero and homosexual. Just as the Dark Knight should have been a 15 for the violence and threat, so this should be an 18 for the sexual activity. However, while I have proved that the Dark Knight should have been rated 15 by the BBFCs own guidelines, I cannot prove that Dorian Gray should be an 18. The BBFCs guidelines do indeed place Dorian Gray as a 15. This is just another example of how film classification standards have changed. Comparing this to a film like the Usual Suspects (rated 18), there is no question that Dorian Gray should have a higher rating.
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