Cinematical

I'd have to agree with your sister on Barnes in Caspian, but different roles can bring out different abilities, it seems, in an actor, so who knows.

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I think his theatre background would help him a lot with this movie. I don't think you can compare Caspian with Dorian Grey since they are on two completely different sides of the spectrum.

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Now that you mention it, Dorian Gray does seem like the ultimate Johnny Depp (and Tim Burton?) film. Like, not now, but perhaps earlier in both of their respective careers...of course, I'm sure Burton (hell, and Depp) would take liberties with the adaptation, but it would be an interesting film in its own right.

For a more literary-minded adaptation, an actor with a theatrical background makes sense, I suppose. And Barnes looks the part...but I'm not sure if he can act it. But I'm not a Narnia fan.

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good looking man but he has yet to impress me with his acting and Narnia didnt really do that same thing with what Superman Returns did to Brandon Routh.
They look more like Abercrombie models than real actors for me.

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I recently seen the new narnia movie and I thought it was good. I think they could have fleshed out Prince Caspian's character a bit more than you could see has more talent.
I think they picked him because he was fairly unknown and because they decided that he could play the part better than anyone else and to suceed in hollywood it doesn't hurt to have attractive looks but in Barnes case I think he has both.

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Various critics are opting to underrate Ben Barnes portrayal of Prince Caspian, but I felt he performed more than adequately. His mediterranean accent was fully acceptable and thankfully not so thick as to distract from the point of his character, which was to present a relatable character with realistic emotions all the while embroiled in a fully fantastical setting. Good job, Ben!

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I agree with redfrog i found no fault in Ben's performance in Prince Caspian - going by the book Prince Caspian's character was quite over shadowed by the Penvensie Children yet still probably not what people were expecting for a lead character/movie title - why put an unknown actor is a title role if they didn't believe he could carry it off?. At least with Dorian Gray the full emphasis rests on Ben's shoulders more - daunting maybe? but at least Ben will get to prove his acting skills more and hush some critics i hope. Having seen one of the original movies of Dorian Gray - Dorian appearance is very much a key factor and what stays in my mind is the face of the original Dorian Gray. Will they chose to play on his looks? i think they have to to bring Dorian truly to life. And I believe Ben is in a position to understand this - appeal by looks or ability? Dorian did.

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I'm hesitant to post that I admire Ben Barnes' acting skills when I've only seen him appear in two films.

To say that his initial appearance and the manner in which he recited his lines in "Stardust" caught my immediate attention and that I was disappointed that he wasn't in the rest of the movie hardly counts although it's true; I can definitely say that I enjoyed his performance in "Prince Caspian", particularly when I compare his acting to his co-stars (although to be fair, they don't have his experience in stage productions, etc. per his CV and I did think they "showed improvement" from TLTWTW)...and it was all good enough so that I'm looking forward to seeing Ben again in "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" along with Georgie and Skandar (and all the fun special effects if it's anything like the book and more) -- but that does not really add much support to Ben's acting versatility and whether or not he will intrigue me in his upcoming lead role in "The Portrait of Dorian Gray".

That the Parker and Thompson team are involved in the "Dorian Gray" production as was mentioned and that Ben had a key role in the upcoming comedy "Easy Virtue" based on the Noel Coward play makes me think that there's much more to Ben Barnes than I've seen just yet...so I'll definitely be watching.

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To me, a truly talented actor bleeds into the role so completely that his/her entire presence changes; not merely reciting lines convincingly, he/she actually BECOMES the role. Unfortunately, this gift is rare and grossly unappreciated. Is it because people desire familiarity over authenticity? Perhaps seeing their beloved actor's essence present in every role is unconsciously comforting. Or is it that they confuse entertaining for raw _acting_ talent? I myself have a long list of actors I enjoy greatly, even though they are basically the same in every role they play. However, I would be more inclined to call them talented "entertainers" than talented "actors." It's kind of like Britney Spears vs. Mozart regarding music. The former is fun enough, but the latter has skill that truly is the essence of the art.

Having only seen Ben Barnes as Caspian in "Prince Caspian," his little bit part in "Stardust," and his lead role in "Bigga Than Ben," (a role where he plays a young Russian man gone to London to seek his attempt at a paltry fortune), I can hardly say that I've had exhaustive experience observing his abilities. However, I can say that the three roles are extremely diverse, and it is in the subtleties that he lends each role that I think he really shines. Coming from a gal who will regularly recognize an actor by the cadence of their voice, the way they use their mouth, or even the way they stand far before recognizing their face or name, saying that I wouldn't necessarily have recognized Mr. Barnes from role to role is saying a lot. He conveys the essence of each character so completely and with another gem--dimension-- "Ben-Barnes-as-actor" disappears. Oscar Wilde was an incredible author, and if anyone will be able to convey the complexity, the angst, the fury of Dorian's psyche, it will be Mr. Barnes.

Note, this is not to say that Barnes is perfect in every moment of his performances. Any artist has room to improve, after all. However, I sit with more confidence in him than I have had for actor in a loooooong time. I only hope he continues to take challenging, diverse roles which will showcase his gift as the Hollywood Humdrum pull grows stronger. Indeed, Depp is also a truly talented actor (not so much DiCaprio, sorry!), and if Mr. Barnes follows in his footsteps (minus a bit of Depp's raging quirkiness), the boy will do himself proud.

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